M 2600 OWNER S MANUAL

Transcription

1 0 0 20Hz D HIGH M 2600 OWNER S MANUAL HIGH-CURRENT POWER AMPLIFIER 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS FULL SYMMETRY DUAL DIFFERENTIAL HIGH CURRENT DESIGN 9 GAIN/dB GAIN/dB 3v OL OL 3v v 2v INTERNAL STATUS PROTECT SHT SENSITIVITY 33 v 3.23v (4dBu) 20 SIG SIG 20 SENSITIVITY 33 v 3.23v (4dBu) TEMP STATUS & 2 COLD HOT RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2600 WATTS 2 OHM LOAD MIN. 4 OHM LOAD MIN. 2 PROFESSIONAL POWER AMPLIFIER ON POWER ANNEL ANNEL 2 STEREO SPEAKER PUTS LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED AMP MODE 60Hz 90Hz 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 PIN PIN 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT

2 AVIS RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR : TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT REMOVE COVER ( BACK) NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES DE OC ELECTRIQUE, NE PAS ENLEVER LE COUVERCLE. AUCUN ENTRETIEN DE PIECES INTERIEURES PAR L'USAGER. CONFIER L'ENTRETIEN AU PERSONNEL QUALIFIE. AVIS: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES D'INCENDIE OU D'ELECTROCUTION, N'EXPOSEZ PAS CET ARTICLE A LA PLUIE OU A L'HUMIDITE The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure, that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. Le symbole éclair avec point de flèche à l'intérieur d'un triangle équilatéral est utilisé pour alerter l'utilisateur de la présence à l'intérieur du coffret de "voltage dangereux" non isolé d'ampleur suffisante pour constituer un risque d'éléctrocution. The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user of the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance. Le point d'exclamation à l'intérieur d'un triangle équilatéral est employé pour alerter les utilisateurs de la présence d'instructions importantes pour le fonctionnement et l'entretien (service) dans le livret d'instruction accompagnant l'appareil. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS. Read Instructions All the safety and operation instructions should be read before this Mackie product is operated. 2. Retain Instructions The safety and operating instructions should be kept for future reference. 3. Heed Warnings All warnings on this Mackie product and in these operating instructions should be followed. 4. Follow Instructions All operating and other instructions should be followed. 5. Water and Moisture This Mackie product should not be used near water for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool, swamp or salivating St. Bernard dog, etc. 6. Ventilation This Mackie product should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For example, the Component should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block any ventilation openings, or placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the flow of air through ventilation openings. PTABLE CART WARNING Carts and stands - The Component should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer. A Component and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the Component and cart combination to overturn. 7. Heat This Mackie product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, or other devices which produce heat. 8. Power Sources This Mackie product should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in these operation instructions or as marked on this Mackie product. 9. Power Cord Protection Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked upon or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit this Mackie product. 0. Object and Liquid Entry Care should be taken so that objects do not fall into and liquids are not spilled into this Mackie product.. Damage Requiring Service This Mackie product should be serviced only by qualified service personnel when: A. The power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has spilled into this Mackie product; or C. This Mackie product has been exposed to rain; or D. This Mackie product does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or E. This Mackie product has been dropped, or its chassis damaged. 2. Servicing The user should not attempt to service this Mackie product beyond those means described in this operating manual. All other servicing should be referred to the Mackie Service Department. 3. To prevent electric shock, do not use this polarized plug with an extension cord, receptacle or other outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure. Pour préevenir les chocs électriques ne pas utiliser cette fiche polariseé avec un prolongateur, un prise de courant ou une autre sortie de courant, sauf si les lames peuvent être insérées à fond sans laisser aucune pariie à découvert. 4. Grounding or Polarization Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of this Mackie product is not defeated. 5. This apparatus does not exceed the Class A/Class B (whichever is applicable) limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications. ATTENTION Le présent appareil numérique n émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant las limites applicables aux appareils numériques de class A/de class B (selon le cas) prescrites dans le règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par les ministere des communications du Canada. WARNING To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture.

3 Lend Me Your Ears Exposure to extremely high noise levels may cause permanent hearing loss. Individuals vary considerably in susceptibility to noiseinduced hearing loss, but nearly everyone will lose some hearing if exposed to sufficiently intense noise for a period of time. The U.S. Government s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specified the permissible noise level exposures shown in this chart. According to OSHA, any exposure in excess of these permissible limits could result in some hearing loss. To ensure against potentially dangerous exposure to high sound pressure levels, it is recommended that all persons exposed to equipment capable of producing these levels (such as the M 2600) use hearing protectors while this unit is in operation. Ear plugs or protectors in the ear canals Duration in Sound level dba Typical example hours per day (slow response) 8 90 Duo in small club Subway Train Very loud classical music Lori screaming at Ron or less 5 Loudest parts at a rock concert or over the ears must be worn when operating this amplification system in order to prevent a permanent hearing loss if exposure is in excess of the limits set forth here. INTRODUCTION Thank you for choosing a Mackie Designs power amplifier! The M 2600 is designed to fulfill the amplification needs of almost any type of application, with solid design features such as: 2600 watts into 4 ohms, bridged 700 watts into 8 ohms, bridged 300 watts x 2 into 2 ohms, stereo 850 watts x 2 into 4 ohms, stereo 500 watts x 2 into 8 ohms, stereo Easily handles 2 ohm loads all night long Two low-cut filters, 2nd-order Bessel, 2dB/octave, variable from Off to 70Hz Two superior design active crossovers, 4th-order Linkwitz-Riley, 24dB/octave, selectable crossover point at 60, 90 or 20Hz Switchable limiter Automatic soft turn-on and multiple protection circuits Balanced/unbalanced /4" and XLR inputs XLR thru outputs, selectable to full-range, high pass or low pass Speakon or binding post outputs Superior T-Design fan cooling Ultra low noise and distortion Fast Recovery design Five year warranty At Mackie, we know what it takes to be roadworthy. After all, our mixers have traveled all over the world under the worst of conditions, and we ve applied what we ve learned to the mechanical design of our amplifiers. Reliability is paramount to sound reinforcement. That s why we use double-sided thru-holeplated fiberglass printed circuit boards. That s why our engineers have subjected the amplifier to the most rigorous and fiendish tests imaginable to fine-tune the design and extend its limits beyond those of ordinary amplifiers. Part No Rev. A 0/ Mackie Designs, All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Our Fast Recovery (FR) amplifiers perform better than conventional designs when presented with adverse conditions such as clipping. Conventional designs use lots of negative feedback to provide stability and lower distortion. When clipping occurs, this feedback causes highfrequency sticking, keeping the amplifier latched in the clipping state longer than necessary. This results in painfully audible distortion. The Fast Recovery design eliminates this high-frequency sticking and allows the amplifier to remain stable when powering highly reactive loads at high volume levels. Carefully read and follow all the safety instructions explained on page 2 and throughout the manual. The Quick Start guide on page 4 gives an overview of the amplifier, and the rest of the manual explains the wealth of features and operating instructions in loving detail. Please write your serial number here for future reference (i.e., insurance claims, tech support, return authorization, etc.): Purchased at: Date of purchase: 3

4 READ THIS PAGE! QUICK START I got ants in my pants and I got to dance! INSTALLATION You can mount the M 2600 amp in any standard rack system (see page 29), or place it horizontally on a floor or table. The heavier internal components are located towards the front of the chassis to make it easier to hold the amp by its front handles. The M 2600 amp draws its ventilation air in from the front and out through the side panels. It needs plenty of fresh air to stay cool. DO NOT BLOCK THE VENTILATION PTS (see page 29). CONNECTIONS AND SETTINGS. The output terminals are capable of high voltage output, so for your safety, the POWER switch must be off before making any connections. 2. Turn the GAIN controls fully down (counterclockwise) for now. 3. Set both controls to their marks (35Hz). 4. Set the LIMITER switch on. Note: If you re using the M 2600 to power a subwoofer, you probably do not need an external crossover. Please see page 28 for details. 5. Determine which AMP MODE is best for your application: STEREO mode (separate left and right inputs, separate left and right outputs) is the typical setup for amplifying stereo signals. mode (sometimes called Dual- Mono mode one or two inputs, two mono outputs) is for sending a mono signal to two different speaker sets, with separatelyadjustable level controls. D mode (sometimes called Bridged-Mono one or two inputs, one mono output) uses both sides of the amp to triple the power going to one speaker. An M 2600 in D mode, delivers 2600 watts (into 4 ohms). Garsh! Note: In D mode, 4 ohms is the minimum speaker impedance you should connect to the amplifier. If you connect a lower impedance load, the amplifier may go into PROTECT mode and the SHT LEDs will turn on. Then the audience will turn on you. 6. In STEREO mode, connect line-level cables from your signal source to the M 2600 s jacks, either XLR or TRS: The XLR and TRS inputs for each channel are wired in parallel. The balanced XLR inputs are wired pin 2 = hot (), pin 3 = cold (), and pin = shield (ground). The /4" TRS inputs are wired tip = hot (), ring = cold (), and sleeve = shield (ground), and can accept either balanced (TRS) or unbalanced (TS) cables. FULL SYMMETRY DUAL DIFFERENTIAL HIGH CURRENT DESIGN PROFESSIONAL POWER AMPLIFIER GAIN/dB GAIN/dB 3v OL OL 3v INTERNAL STATUS 2v 2v PROTECT SHT POWER ON SENSITIVITY 33 v 3.23v (4dBu) 20 SIG SIG 20 SENSITIVITY 3 33 v.23v (4dBu) TEMP STATUS & 2 COLD HOT 4

5 7. In D mode, connect an input cable to ANNEL s or ANNEL 2. If you want to use both inputs, the two input signals are summed internally to produce a mono signal. 8. In STEREO and modes, connect speaker cables to the SPEAKER PUTS, using either the binding post or Speakon connectors. The binding post connectors are wired red = hot () and black = cold (). See page 40 for Speakon wiring details. 9. In D mode, connect the speaker cable like this: the positive () wire goes in the ANNEL SPEAKER PUT s red post and the negative () wire goes in ANNEL 2 s red post. Plug nothing into the black posts. There is also a single Speakon connector for D mode (see page 40). 0. Connect the other ends of the speaker cables to your loudspeakers.. Plug the amp s power cord into a 3-prong AC outlet properly configured for the type of plug supplied with your amplifier, and capable of delivering at least 20 amps (for the 20V model). G NEMA 5-20P (Plug supplied with 20 VAC models) 2. Make sure your signal source (feeding the M 2600 s inputs) is powered up and delivering signal to the amp. 3. Turn the M 2600 s POWER switch on and verify that the SIG LEDs are showing an input signal is present. G NEMA 5-20R (20 VAC, 20Amp Receptacle) 4. Slowly turn both GAIN controls up: You should hear the music and see the SIG and meter LEDs flashing. If the topmost LEDs (named OL, for overload) are flashing, turn down either the GAIN controls on the amp or the source signal s output level controls (i.e., master faders). The point is: The OL LEDs should not light up. 5. For quieter listening, it is preferable to adjust the amp s GAIN controls rather than the source signal s output level (unless you have the source s control all the way up!). 6. Start dancing, but don t let the ants out of your pants. Things You Must Remember: Never plug amplifier outputs into anything except speakers (unless you have an outboard box specifically designed to handle high-power speaker-level signals). Before making connections to an amp or reconfiguring an amp s routing, turn the amp s level (GAIN) controls down, turn the power off, make the changes, turn the power back on, and then turn the level controls back up. If you shut down your equipment, turn off the amplifiers first. When powering up, turn on the amplifiers last. Save the shipping boxes! You may need them someday, and you probably don t want to have to pay for them again. RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE ANNEL 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz STEREO AMP MODE D 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz ANNEL 2 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN IN SWITED PUT LOW HIGH ON LIMITER ( & 2) HIGH LOW SWITED PUT IN LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED 5

6 HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL APPLICATION DIAGRAMS Mackie s chain gang of illustrators have created easy-to-understand diagrams of popular studio and live-sound setups. Your setup will probably be different in some way, but these diagrams will help you see the big picture so you can add your own finishing touches. FEATURE DESCRIPTIONS: MIND-BOGGLING DETAILS Each and every knob, switch, and connector on the M 2600 power amplifier is explained in depth here. Throughout this section you ll find illustrations, with each feature numbered like this. If you re curious about a feature, simply locate it on the appropriate illustration, note the number attached to it, and find that number in the nearby paragraphs. This icon marks information that is critically important or unique to the M For your own good, read the information carefully and remember it. We may call you someday and quiz you. GLOSSARY: A HAVEN OF NON- TEINESS F THE NEOPHYTE Just in case you re new to the audio world, we ve included a fairly comprehensive dictionary of pro audio terms. If terms like clipping, noise floor, unbalanced, or groupie leave you blank, flip to the glossary at the back of this manual for a quick explanation. A PLUG F THE CONNECTS SECTION Also at the back of this manual is a section on connectors: XLR, TRS, binding post connectors, balanced connectors, unbalanced connectors, and Speakon connectors. If you plan on wiring your own cables, please visit this section before you start. ARCANE MYSTERIES ILLUMINATED Almost last but not least, we ve included an appendix entitled Arcane Mysteries Illuminated. This section discusses some of the down n dirty practical realities of signal transmission, balancing a sound system, grounding, and balanced versus unbalanced lines. It s a gold mine for the neophyte, and even the seasoned pro might learn a thing or two. TENICAL INFO This section is for you tech-heads who like to use a calculator and read specifications. You ll find it all here. This icon leads you to in-depth explanations of features and practical tips. While not mandatory, these explanations contain some valuable information. GENERAL PRES AND CONSIDERATIONS This section discusses important things to keep in mind when installing and using the M 2600, including rack mounting, AC power, and wiring. 6

7 CONTENTS QUICK START... 4 APPLICATION DIAGRAMS... 8 FEATURE DESCRIPTIONS... 7 GAIN... 7 METERS... 8 SIG... 9 PROTECT... 9 SHT... 9 TEMP STATUS POWER... 2 POWER CD... 2 SPEAKER PUTS SWIT SWIT AMP MODE SWIT STEREO D PUT APPLICATION SWIT LIMITER ON LIMITER LOW (SUBWOOFER) GENERAL PRES AND CONSIDERATIONS RACK MOUNTING THERMAL CONSIDERATIONS AC POWER CONSIDERATIONS WIRING PUT WIRING V DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS... 3 APPENDIX A: SERVICE INFMATION WARRANTY SERVICE TROUBLESHOOTING REPAIR APPENDIX B: GLOSSARY APPENDIX C: CONNECTS APPENDIX D: ARCANE MYSTERIES ILLUMINATED... 4 LINES... 4 FIXED INSTALLATIONS... 4 GROUNDING OPTIMISING SOUND LEVELS BI- AND TRI-AMPLIFICATION APPENDIX E: TENICAL INFMATION DO THE MATH: OHMS, LOADS AND SU SPECIFICATIONS BLOCK DIAGRAM PERFMANCE GRAPHS M 2600 LIMITED WARRANTY

8 APPLICATION DIAGRAMS The following pages show some of the more common uses for the M 2600, including stereo, mono, and bridged operation. USING THE The application diagrams include some small graphs of the frequency range going into and coming out of the amplifier. These graphs show the effect of the to roll off the lower frequencies going to the speakers. 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz STEREO AMP MODE 's SUMMED D PUT APPLICATION FULL LOW RANGE (SUBWOOFER) LOW HIGH ON SWITED PUT LIMITER ( & 2) Level, db 5dB 0dB 5dB 0dB 5dB Hz 0Hz 00Hz khz 0kHz 20kHz Low Cut Filter Frequency, Hz HIGH PASS The rolls off the lows below the frequency setting of the rotary control. It affects the Speaker output and the output (if the switch is set to HIGH or LOW ). Using the allows you to tailor the output to the speakers so they receive only the frequency range they can handle. For example, if your speakers can reproduce the frequency range down to 35Hz, set the to 35Hz. If your main speakers can reproduce the full range, then set it to. In the hookup diagrams on pages 92 and page 5, this small icon is used to indicate that the lows have been rolled off by using the LOW CUT FILTER. Note: On page 4 and page 6 it shows the use of the internal. FULL PASS This icon indicates that the full frequency range is passed, either to the speakers or to the outputs. In the pages that follow, this also indicates a full-range signal coming from your mixer or preamp. LOW PASS This icon indicates that the highs have been rolled off. The low-pass range is available if you use the internal, discussed in more detail on page 3, with some application diagrams on pages 4, 5, and 6. 8

9 20Hz 20Hz D HIGH D HIGH MAIN SPEAKERS (play above 35Hz in this example). FROM MIXING CONSOLE LEFT MAIN STEREO FROM MIXING CONSOLE RIGHT MAIN 35Hz 35Hz 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR 2 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE STEREO 60Hz 90Hz 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED LIMITER ON S (play above 00Hz in this example). FROM MIXING CONSOLE AUX FROM MIXING CONSOLE AUX 2 00Hz STEREO 00Hz 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR 2 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE STEREO 60Hz 90Hz 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED LIMITER ON These two examples show how the LOW CUT FILTER is used. Set it to the lowest frequency your speakers can handle. TWO M 2600S: MAIN SPEAKERS AND S 9

10 20Hz D HIGH MAIN SPEAKERS (play above 35Hz in this example). S (play above 00Hz in this example). This example shows how each can be adjusted so you can play a different type of speaker on each channel. FROM MIXING CONSOLE MAIN STEREO FROM MIXING CONSOLE 35Hz 00Hz 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. DO NOT OPEN AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL STEREO ANNEL 2 AMP MODE 60Hz 90Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED LIMITER ON M 2600: MAIN SPEAKERS AND S WITH ONE AMPLIFIER 0

11 20Hz D HIGH STUDIO S (play above 00Hz in this example). This example shows how you can use the MODE to play the same source in both the left and right Speaker Outputs. The TOTAL IMPEDANCE must be greater than 2 ohms per channel. In this example, each speaker FROM MIXING CONSOLE must be 8 ohms or greater. 00Hz MODE NOTE: In MODE, you can feed Channel 2 as well, and the speakers will play the sum of both inputs. Set both LOW CUT FILTERS to the same frequency. 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. DO NOT OPEN AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE STEREO 60Hz 90Hz 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED LIMITER ON M 2600: EIGHT SPEAKERS- MODE

12 20Hz D 20Hz HIGH D HIGH LEFT SPEAKER (above 35Hz in this example) FROM MIXING CONSOLE LEFT MAIN 35Hz D 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR 2 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL STEREO ANNEL 2 AMP MODE 60Hz 90Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED RIGHT SPEAKER (above 35Hz in this example) FROM MIXING CONSOLE RIGHT MAIN LIMITER ON 35Hz D 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR 2 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE STEREO 60Hz 90Hz 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED Use this output instead if your speaker wire has a SPEAKON connector. LIMITER ON Each amplifier is set to D MODE by setting the AMP MODE switch to D. Each speaker will then receive up to 2600 WATTS (into 4 ohms). IT IS IMPTANT THAT YOUR SPEAKERS ARE 4 OHMS GREATER WHEN USING THE D MODE. M 2600: STEREO SYSTEM WITH TWO AMPLIFIERS IN D MODE 2

13 USING THE The following three pages show how the internal crossover can be used to biamp your system. One amplifer plays the lower frequencies, while another plays the highs. The electronic crossover inside the M 2600 splits the frequency band into two ranges, one below the crossover point (LOW ) and one above (HIGH ). The LOW is available to the amplifier section for powering subwoofers. Both the LOW and the HIGH are switchable to the outputs, for sending line-level signals to the inputs of other amplifiers. IT S FREE! The crossover has been carefully designed to give high quality, no-compromise performance, equal to external crossovers (without the extra cost). It uses a 4th-order Linkwitz-Riley design, with a slope of 24 db/octave. 60Hz SWITED PUT 90Hz LOW HIGH 20Hz STEREO AMP MODE ON LIMITER ( & 2) 's SUMMED D PUT APPLICATION FULL LOW RANGE (SUBWOOFER) LOUDER PUT LEVEL db QUIETER LOW The output level rolls off above the crossover point. By setting the PUT APPLICATION switch to LOW (SUBWOOFER), any speakers attached to the M 2600 will play only the lower frequency range. By setting the Switch to LOW, this range can be sent to another amplifier via the output jacks. FREQUENCY IN Hz LOUDER PUT LEVEL db QUIETER crossover point HIGH The output level rolls off below the crossover point. The high range is not available to the speaker outputs; it can be sent to another amplifier via the output jacks if you set the switch to HIGH. The can be used to reduce the bass level of the speakers attached to the host amplifer. FREQUENCY IN Hz 3

14 20Hz D 20Hz HIGH D HIGH 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR 2 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE STEREO 60Hz 90Hz 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR 2 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL STEREO ANNEL 2 AMP MODE 60Hz 90Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz SUBWOOFERS (play between 20Hz and 90Hz in this example) MAIN SPEAKERS (play above 90Hz in this example) FROM MIXING CONSOLE MAIN LEFT FROM MIXING CONSOLE MAIN RIGHT OOSE OOSE 20Hz 20Hz LOW (SUBWOOFER) HIGH HIGH STEREO OOSE OOSE FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED LIMITER ON Because the PUT APPLICATION switch is set to LOW, this M 2600 plays the frequency range below the point (60, 90, or 20Hz). Set the to the lowest frequency your subwoofers can handle (or set it to ). Set the switch to HIGH so the next amplifier will receive the frequency range above the point. Use the MODE so the subwoofers play the same and are always in-phase. Low-frequency sound is non-directional, so there is no benefit in playing the subs in STEREO, in fact, there may be times when the speakers get out of phase, causing some bass reduction. This amplifier receives the frequency range above the first amplifier's point. NOTE: Set its below the point of the first amplifier or you will miss part of the bass range. M 2600: STEREO SYSTEM BIAMPED WITH SUBWOOFERS, OPTION 4

15 20Hz D 20Hz HIGH D HIGH 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR 2 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE STEREO 60Hz 90Hz 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR 2 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE STEREO 60Hz 90Hz 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION MAIN SPEAKERS (play above 35Hz in this example) SUBWOOFERS (play between 20Hz and 90Hz in this example) FROM MIXING CONSOLE MAIN LEFT FROM MIXING CONSOLE MAIN RIGHT 35Hz STEREO 35Hz LIMITER ON OOSE OOSE 20Hz 20Hz FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED LOW (SUBWOOFER) Set the switch to "" so the next M 2600 will receive the full frequency range, unaffected by the LOW CUT FILTER or of this first amplifier. NOTE: If you do not have two M 2600s as shown here, you should use your most powerful amplifier to drive the subwoofers. If your second amplifier is more powerful than the M 2600, set the switch to "LOW " so the second amp will receive the frequencies below the crossover point. If your second amplifier is less powerful than the M 2600, set the switch to "HIGH " so the second amp receives just the highs. Because the PUT APPLICATION switch is set to LOW, this amplifier plays the frequency range below the point (60, 90, or 20Hz). Set the of this M 2600 to the lowest frequency your subwoofers can handle, or set to the "" position. Set the switch to the highest frequency the subwoofers can handle, or to the lower range of your main speakers. Use the MODE so that your subwoofers will play the same program and will always be in-phase. M 2600: STEREO SYSTEM BIAMPED WITH SUBWOOFERS, OPTION 2 5

16 20Hz D 20Hz HIGH D HIGH SUBWOOFER (plays between 20Hz and 90Hz in this example) FROM MIXING CONSOLE MAIN LEFT OOSE OOSE 20Hz 20Hz D FROM MIXING CONSOLE MAIN RIGHT 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR 2 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE STEREO 60Hz 90Hz 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED MAIN SPEAKERS (play above 90Hz in this example) HIGH LOW (SUBWOOFER) HIGH STEREO OOSE OOSE 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR 2 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. ANNEL STEREO ANNEL 2 AMP MODE 60Hz 90Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz FULL RANGE LOW () PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS PIN PIN LOW HIGH LOW ON IN IN LIMITER SWITED PUT ( & 2) SWITED PUT LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED LIMITER ON Because the PUT APPLICATION switch is set to LOW, this amplifier plays the frequency range below the point (60, 90, or 20Hz). Set the to the lowest frequency your subwoofers can handle. Set the switch to HIGH so the second amplifier will receive the frequency range above the point. This example also illustrates the D MODE, playing a single subwoofer. Both input signals are summed in this mode, so the subwoofer plays the combined channel and channel 2 signal. The outputs going to the other amplifier are not summed. This amplifier receives the frequency range above the first amplifier's point. NOTE: Set the to below the point of the first amplifier, or you will miss part of the bass range. M 2600: STEREO SYSTEM BIAMPED WITH D SUBWOOFER 6

17 0 0 FEATURE DESCRIPTIONS GAIN/dB 3v v GAIN SENSITIVITY These front panel knobs allow you to control the levels going into the output section of the M 2600 amplifier. Their travel is detented, meaning there are 20 built-in resting points so you can easily set both controls to the same level. Usually, these controls are set to maximum. The gain structure of the amplifier is designed so that a 4 dbu (.23V rms) input signal drives the amplifier to 700 watts into 4 ohms. This is how the sensitivity of an amplifier is defined. In this case, it equates to a voltage gain of 32.7 db. The graphics around the knob depict two different methods for setting the gain. The inner circle is marked in db, calibrated from off ( ) to 33. This represents the amount of voltage gain from input to output. When using professional equipment with 4 dbu output levels, set the GAIN control all the way up to 33. The outer circle is labeled in volts, with indications of V, 2V, and 3V. These correspond to the input sensitivity of the amplifier. With the GAIN control all the way up (fully clockwise), the input sensitivity is.23v, which works well with professional equipment operating at a nominal 4 dbu level. On the other hand, you may want your listening level to be quieter than the M 2600 s maximum level. For instance, if you re using the M 2600 as a control room amp and your control room is the size of a telephone booth, you ll probably never want to hear the amp at its maximum level. You can set the GAIN controls as low as you like. However, reducing the GAIN controls requires an increased input level to reach full power at the amplifier s output. See the sidebar Constant Gain vs. Constant Sensitivity for a better understanding of how this works. Like all amplifier controls, you ll typically determine the optimal settings during installation or sound check, then leave them alone, using your signal source (usually a mixer) to control listening levels as you work. Or play v.23v (4dBu) Constant Gain vs. Constant Sensitivity There are two viewpoints, or philosophies, regarding the gain structure of power amplifiers constant gain and constant sensitivity. Constant Gain means that regardless of the output power of the amplifier, the gain from input to output remains the same. (By the way, this refers to the full gain of the amplifier, with the gain or level controls all the way up.) Within a product line of constant gain power amplifiers, as the output power rating of an amplifier increases, the level of the input voltage must also increase. For example, if an amplifier is rated at 00W into an 8-ohm load, and it has 26 db of gain, it requires an input signal of.4v rms to drive it to full power. This is about 5 dbu, a reasonable operating point for professional gear. Now take an amplifier rated at 200W into an 8-ohm load. If it also has a gain of 26 db, it requires an input signal of 2.0V rms to drive it to full power, or 8 dbu. This can become problematic as the power of the amplifier increases. What if you have a power amp rated at 800W into 8 ohms? This will require an input signal of 4.0V rms to drive it to full power. This equates to a whopping 4.3 dbu! You ve just robbed your mixer of 0 db of headroom. You ll either have to have a good limiter to keep the transient peaks down, or turn down the level from the mixer and not use all the power available from the amplifier. Constant Sensitivity means that regardless of the output power of the amplifier, the input sensitivity of the amplifier (the input voltage required to attain full output power) remains the same. As the output power of an amplifier increases, the gain of the amplifier must also increase. Referring back to the previous example, an amplifier rated at 00W into 8 ohms with a gain of 26 db requires an input signal of.4v rms to drive it to full power. It has an input sensitivity of.4v rms. In order for the 200W amplifier to reach full power into 8 ohms with a.4v rms input signal, it must have a gain of 29 db. And the 800W amplifier will require a gain of 35 db to reach full power with a.4v input signal. Continued on page 8 7

18 So what are the pros and cons of these two approaches? The reason some amplifier manufacturers use the constant gain approach is because the noise specification looks better. It s a fact of physics that as the gain of the amplifier increases, the circuit noise is amplified and increases too. By maintaining a constant gain, the noise spec for an 800W amplifier can look as good as the noise spec for a 00W amplifier. The downside to this is that you have to crank up the mixer level feeding the input of the amplifier, losing headroom and possibly increasing the noise level from the mixer (unless you have a Mackie mixer with lownoise VLZ circuitry!). Conversely, constant sensitivity demands that as the power increases, so must the gain. Yes, the output noise of the amplifier will increase, but you maintain the critical headroom available from your mixer. The noise is generally not a problem in live sound reinforcement situations. If it is, you can turn down the GAIN control a few clicks to find a happy compromise between noise floor and the available headroom (see Optimizing Sound System Levels in Appendix D). As an added benefit, you can drive multiple amplifiers with the same signal and get the maximum power available from all of them. Mackie subscribes to the philosophy of constant sensitivity. Our amplifiers can be driven to full power with an input level of 4 dbu (.23V rms). You may wonder why we didn t use just one stereo control to control both sides. That s in case your application requires a left/right imbalance (due to an irregularly shaped room) or if you re using the two sides for completely different purposes (monitor in channel and side-fill in channel 2, for instance). Besides, they look cool. METERS The M 2600 s meters indicate the relative output level of the amplifier referenced to full power. The numbers next to the meter s LEDs are in db below full power. Ideally, the M 2600 s 20, 9, 6, and 3 LEDs will flicker at normal signal levels, while the OL LED may flicker occasionally during peak moments. OL is short for overload. Overloading, or clipping, occurs when the output voltage no longer linearly follows the input voltage and simply stops. This causes a sine wave to square off, or get clipped off. Thus, the term clipping. Fear not this scenario is quite unlikely. Even with the GAIN controls fully up, the M 2600 amplifier easily accepts professional 4 dbu operating levels. If the OL (Overload) LED is blinking frequently or continuously, turn down the source signal (i.e., the mixer s master faders). FULL SYMMETRY DUAL DIFFERENTIAL HIGH CURRENT DESIGN GAIN/dB GAIN/dB 3v OL OL 3v INTERNAL STATUS 2v 2v PROTECT v SENSITIVITY.23v (4dBu) SIG SIG 7 SENSITIVITY SHT 3 TEMP STATUS 33 v & 2 COLD HOT.23v (4dBu) 8

19 SIG SIG (short for signal present ) is the lowest step in the meter ladder. It senses the signal prior to the GAIN control, so when SIG is lit, you know the M 2600 is receiving signal. If it s the only meter LED lit (meaning the other meter LEDs are not lit), the M 2600 is receiving a very weak signal (below 20 db). PROTECT If the PROTECT LEDs are on, the M 2600 s output section has shut down. That, of course, means you won t hear anything until you rectify the situation. Three things can cause the PROTECT circuit to engage: Powering up the M A built-in delay circuit saves your speakers (and ears) from the thumps or pops that can sometimes occur when powering up a system. During this 4-second delay, the PROTECT LEDs light up. A short circuit (or near short) in either of the outputs. Both the PROTECT and the SHT LEDs light up. The temperature in the M 2600 has risen to an unsafe level. The PROTECT and the TEMP STATUS HOT LEDs light up. The M 2600 amp draws its ventilation air in from the front and out through the side panels. The amp needs plenty of fresh air to stay cool. DO NOT BLOCK THE VENTILATION PTS. See Thermal Considerations, on page 29. SHT If this LED comes on, the M 2600 has detected a short circuit in either of the outputs, meaning that the positive () and negative () speaker wires are touching, or a speaker itself is shorted out. Such a condition causes the M 2600 to engage its PROTECT mode (when a signal is present), muting all signals at the amp s outputs. This short-circuit LED is a Mackie exclusive (until the other guys borrow the idea) and can save precious minutes of your troubleshooting time. Without it, you d still have speaker and amp protection (via the PROTECT circuit), but you wouldn t be able to determine the source of the problem. But with the SHT LED, the M 2600 comes right out and tells you! WARNING: The SHT LEDs indicate an unsafe condition for the power amplifier. When the shortcircuit protection is activated, the SHT LED lights, then the PROTECT LED lights. After about four seconds, the protection circuit turns off and the amplifier resumes normal operation. If it senses the shorted condition again, the cycle repeats until you fix the problem. Typical causes for a short indication would be either a shorted speaker cable or too many speakers connected to the amplifier (i.e., the load impedance is too low). If a short is indicated, please check your cables. If the cabling is OK, then reduce the number of speakers driven by the amplifier. PROFESSIONAL POWER AMPLIFIER ON POWER 9

20 Note: When using the amplifier in D mode, both SHT LEDs will light under shorted or low impedance conditions. This is an indication of a problem that requires further investigation. TEMP STATUS TEMP (short for temperature) is another feature designed to keep your mind at ease. Normally the COLD LED is lit, indicating that the M 2600 is working normally. Under extreme conditions the amplifier may overheat. You may ask, What kind of extreme conditions? Overheating problems are usually caused by one of the following situations: improper ventilation, high ambient temperatures, overdriving the amplifier into clipping, driving the amplifier hard into low impedance loads, frayed or partially shorted speaker cables, or defective or internally shorted speakers. The heaviest load the M 2600 can tolerate is 2 ohms per channel (4 ohms in bridged mode). If you ve got a set of speakers wired in parallel, be sure the load isn t adding up to less than 2 ohms. Anything below 2 ohms can cause the SHT LED to light and trigger the PROTECT mode. Remember: As the load gets heavier, its value in ohms goes down. For instance, a 2-ohm speaker load is twice as heavy as a 4-ohm load. Please see Do The Math: Ohms, Loads and Such in Appendix E to learn about speaker loads. As the internal temperature of the amplifier rises, the fan speed gradually increases. More air moves through the constant temperature gradient cooling tunnel to remove additional heat from the output transistors. However, if the internal temperature of one of the amplifier channels should exceed 90 C (94 F), the COLD LED turns off, the HOT LED turns on, and its PROTECT LED shines. The output of the amplifier is muted at this point the amplifier is in Standby mode and remains there until the internal temperature cools off to a safe level (52 C or 25 F). When this occurs, the HOT LED and PROTECT LEDs turn off, the COLD LED turns on and normal operation resumes. In the rare event that the transformer gets too hot, the amplifier will shut down. It will not come back on until the transformer has cooled sufficiently, which can take an hour or so. Be Aware: If the HOT LED comes on frequently or the transformer ever thermals out, something is overworking the M 2600 or it s not properly ventilated. Look at each of the extreme conditions described on this page and try to determine what is causing the amplifier to overheat. Refer to Thermal Considerations on page 29 and Troubleshooting on page 32. RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED PIN PIN 20

21 What s that? Why doesn t the fan just go fast all the time? Well, if it did, you might actually hear it whirring during your quiet moments (there are quiet moments in your life, aren t there?). While this whirring would be of no concern in most live-sound situations, it could become annoying in a control room environment. So, when the M 2600 is not working hard, the fan goes slow; when the music gets loud and puts the amp to work, the fan goes faster, and faster still if the heatsink temperature keeps rising. POWER To turn on the amplifier, push the top half of the POWER switch. It clicks into place and a soothing green light adjacent to it glows. To turn the amp off, push the lower half. It ll click again and the green light will extinguish. When you power up the M 2600, an in-rush limiting circuit limits the turn-on current and prevents you from popping the house circuit breakers. After about a second, a relay clicks, defeating this in-rush circuit, meanwhile builtin output muting relays prevent any pops or thumps from being transmitted to the speakers. Be sure the signal driving the amplifier is turned down when you first power up the system. There are few things as rude as four seconds of silence followed by full-blast stereo sound, especially when the baby is sleeping. When you shut down your system, turn off your amplifiers first. When powering up, turn on your amplifiers last. This way, equipment feeding the amp won t pop or thud the speakers during power up or power down. POWER CD We all know what a power cord is. The M 2600 has a detachable cord. Attach it to the amplifier first, then plug it into an AC outlet properly configured for the type of plug on the power cord and for the voltage rating of your amplifier. The M 2600 s voltage source must be capable of continuously delivering 20 amps at 20 VAC (9 amps for 240 VAC models and 4 amps for 00 VAC models). For safety reasons, the source must be a 3-prong outlet with hot, neutral, and ground terminals. We re dealing with some big-time electricity here don t mess with it. See AC Power Considerations on page 29, and carefully read and follow all the safety instructions at the start of this manual. ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz STEREO D 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () IN SWITED PUT LOW HIGH ON LIMITER ( & 2) HIGH LOW SWITED PUT IN 2

22 SPEAKER PUTS The binding posts provide a secure and safe connection for bare speaker wire. To use the binding post outputs, unscrew them enough to reveal the holes on their sides, then insert your stripped wires (stripped about 3/8" back) into the holes and retighten the posts (finger tight is fine please don t reef on them with a wrench!). Be careful that no runaway strands touch the chassis or other terminals. The red posts are labeled, which means positive. The black posts are labeled for negative. You probably know the importance of getting these terms correct if one side is hooked up in phase and the other side is out of phase, you ll be out of work. (By the way, although everyone says phase in this situation, the correct word is polarity... but it s not as much fun to say.) Using high-quality stranded speaker cable (4 gauge or thicker), connect the positive outputs of the M 2600 to the positive inputs of your speakers, and the negative outputs to the negative inputs. The exception: If you re using the M 2600 in D mode, this does not apply (see page 26). In addition to binding posts, the M 2600 also has Speakon SPEAKER PUTS, so you can use speaker cables with Speakon connectors. These locking connectors are easy to attach and are capable of handling high currents and low impedance loads. Pin is positive () and pin is negative (). They re wired in parallel with the binding posts and behave exactly the same (there is a separate Speakon output if you are using D mode). You can use Speakons and the binding posts simultaneously. Just remember that doing so creates two parallel loads. Please see Do The Math: Ohms, Loads and Such in Appendix E to learn about speaker loads. The M 2600 is capable of high voltage output at the binding post and Speakon connectors. Great care should be taken to avoid this potential shock hazard: Treat the speaker wires with respect, as you would any live power cord. Before you make any connections or reconfigure any signal routing, turn the GAIN controls down, turn the POWER off, make the changes, turn the POWER back on, and then turn the GAIN controls back up. RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED PIN PIN 22

23 Ordinarily, applying a positive voltage to a speaker s positive input and negative voltage to the negative input results in an outward excursion of the woofer. But some woofers are built with reverse polarity, meaning that the above conditions result in an inward excursion. If you re not sure which type of speakers you have, take a look at their literature. If you re still not sure, here is a simple test: remove the speaker wires from the back of the speakers, then take a.5v flashlight battery and connect the positive terminal of the battery to the positive () input of the speaker, and connect the negative terminal of the battery to the negative () input of the speaker. Observe the motion of the speaker cone. It should move out when voltage is applied, and return to rest when voltage is removed. Make sure all the speakers in the system move in the same direction (there are a few exceptions some speakers are deliberately designed with reverse-polarity woofers). The M 2600 amplifier gives you a choice it has the traditional XLR inputs, as well as /4" TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) input jacks. Sonically (and electrically) they re identical, so choose either one, but do not use both at the same time to send signals into the M Each can be used with either balanced or unbalanced signals. When connecting a balanced signal using the XLR or /4" jacks, they re wired as shown, per AES (Audio Engineering Society) standards: XLR TRS Hot () Pin 2 Tip Cold () Pin 3 Ring Shield (Ground) Pin Shield Balanced /4" TRS Plug RING TIP SLEEVE SLEEVE Unbalanced TS (tip-sleeve) lines can be accommodated via the TRS jack. Make sure the cord terminates with a TS plug (like a guitar plug), or if it s a TRS plug (like a headphone plug), make sure the ring is tied to the shield, preferably at the source. Unbalanced /4" TS Plug TIP SLEEVE SLEEVE RING TIP RING (COLD) TIP (HOT) SLEEVE (SHIELD) TIP RING (COLD) TIP (HOT) SLEEVE (SHIELD) ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz STEREO D 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () IN SWITED PUT LOW HIGH ON LIMITER ( & 2) HIGH LOW SWITED PUT IN 23

24 You can connect an unbalanced XLR cable to the M 2600, although this would be unusual as unusual as an unbalanced XLR output. However, if you have an unbalanced XLR connection to make, refer to the Connectors section (Appendix C) at the back of this manual for more information. SHIELD HOT COLD SHIELD COLD 3 HOT The M 2600 amp expects to see a nominal signal level anywhere between the 0 dbv semipro and 4 dbu pro standards, meaning almost any line-level mixer or other device can be plugged into the amp s s. Use the GAIN controls to adjust the gain of the amplifier to match the signal level you re using. and SWIT Someday you ll do a show at NudeStock and realize that one M 2600 amplifier is just not going to do the job you ll need a six-foothigh rack full of em to hide behind. That s what the jack is for. It has three modes of operation, depending on the setting of the switch :, a straight copy of what s going into the amplifier, nothing added or taken away from your big finish on spoons. LOW, the lower frequencies only, below the frequency set by the switch. HIGH, the higher frequencies only, above the frequency set by the switch. Note that the LOW and HIGH are also affected by the setting of the SHIELD COLD HOT Balanced XLR Connectors: Apollo/Soyuz Rendezvous 3 2 To use the outputs, connect your source equipment into the first amp s s as usual, then patch from that amp s jacks to the next amp s s, and so on, daisy-chaining as many amps as you want for your application. A general rule of thumb is to maintain a load impedance 0 times or more than the source impedance to prevent excessive loading. If your console has an output impedance of 00 ohms, then you can daisy-chain up to twenty M 2600 amplifiers, which presents a load of 200 ohms to the console (input impedance of 24 kohms divided by 20 amplifiers = 200 ohms). The jacks can also be used to relay the signal on to other devices such as a DAT or cassette recorder, enabling you to record exactly what the audience is hearing. In the position of switch, the jacks are wired straight from the XLR and TRS s so the signal coming out of the jacks is exactly the same as the signal going into the amplifier. You can also use the /4" TRS jacks as jacks, (not affected by switch or by the LOW CUT FILTER ). Connect the /4" TRS jacks on the first amplifier to the TRS /4" jacks on the second amplifier using 3-conductor shielded cables with TRS plugs on both ends. Warning: If you use a regular guitar cord with 2-conductor TS plugs, you ll unbalance the signal at the XLR input by grounding the low side () of the signal (pin 3). Every woofer has frequency response specifications. It s usually expressed in Hertz (or cycles per second), like 40Hz300Hz. The 40Hz refers to the low-frequency point (usually, but not always) where the speaker s output drops by 3 db, and will roll off completely as the frequency goes down. There is no point in sending a woofer any frequencies it can t reproduce you can t hear it, and worse yet, it s a waste of amplifier power that can be better used reproducing frequencies you can hear. 24

25 Level, db 5dB 0dB 5dB 0dB 5dB Hz 0Hz 00Hz khz 0kHz 20k Frequency, Hz Low Cut L Filter C Fil Frequency Response In order to match the output bandwidth with your particular speaker system, the M 2600 amplifier has a tunable LOW CUT FILTER. The frequencies are marked along the knob s travel : Fully counterclockwise, the frequency is below 0Hz, effectively bypassing the filter. Center detent is 35Hz and labeled, since precious few woofers actually go below that. 3/4 of the way up is labeled MONI- T, 00Hz, perfect for stage monitors (they seldom reproduce below 00Hz; besides, it prevents low-frequency leakage into the house). Fully clockwise is labeled 70Hz. So, grab your woofer s spec sheet and find the low roll-off spec. Then set the M 2600 s at the same frequency. If you do this correctly (and make sure the meters are happy), you ll never again see your woofer moving sporadically without audible signal. Your system will play louder and cleaner, and you may never blow another woofer again! SWIT This three-way switch allows you to set the crossover point of the internal to either 60Hz, 90Hz or 20Hz. This affects two things: The output, if the switch is set to LOW or HIGH. The SPEAKER PUTS, if the PUT APPLICATION switch is set to LOW. The amplifier then plays the frequency range below the crossover point. Note: The affects both the outputs and the SPEAKER PUTS in the cases above. AMP MODE SWIT This three-way switch, along with the PUT APPLICATION switch, determines what kind of amplifier you want the M 2600 to be (or not to be what was the question?). The AMP MODE switch determines the input signal routing within the M 2600 amplifier. Shipped from the factory, the switch is set to STEREO. This is correct for about 90% of the applications using an amp like this (hence the indicator near it). But you may be in the 0% bracket, requiring special input routing within the amp. AMP MODE should always be configured before operation, with the amplifier turned off. ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz STEREO D 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () IN SWITED PUT LOW HIGH ON LIMITER ( & 2) HIGH LOW SWITED PUT IN 25

26 STEREO mode (separate left and right inputs, separate left and right outputs) is the typical setup for amplifying stereo signals. mode (sometimes called Dual- Mono one or two inputs, two mono outputs) is for sending a mono signal to two different speaker sets, with separately-adjustable GAIN controls. D mode (sometimes called Bridged-Mono one or two inputs, one mono output) uses both sides of the amp to send great power to one speaker. D In STEREO mode, the M 2600 Power Amplifier can deliver 300 watts per side into 2 ohms. If that s not enough, you can use two M 2600 s, each in D mode, and deliver 2600 watts per amplifier into 4 ohms. Or, you can use one amp in D mode to power a monaural system. Finally, D mode is also popular for subwoofer applications but please see LOW (SUBWOOFER) on page 28 for a special subwoofer surprise. To use all the M 2600 s power to drive one speaker using D mode:. Turn off the power to the M Set the AMP MODE switch to D. 3. The D mode requires the speaker to be wired as follows : Connect the positive side of the speaker cable to the Channel red () binding post. Connect the negative side of the speaker cable to the Channel 2 red () binding post. 4. Instead of the binding posts, you could use the Speakon connector. Pin connects to your speaker red post (positive ). Pin connects to your speaker black post (negative ). 5. In or D mode, you can use either Channel input, or Channel 2, or both. If both inputs are used, the inputs are summed. Once again: Before making connections to an amp or reconfiguring an amp s routing, turn the power off, make the changes, then turn the power back on. In D mode, both connections to your speaker are live; that is, neither is grounded through the chassis. Take great care to read and follow all of the safety instructions. The amplifier is capable of up to 6 VAC across the speaker terminals, potentially LETHAL! RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. AVIS: RISQUE DE OC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC WOODINVILLE WA USA MADE IN USA PATENTS PENDING COPYRIGHT 998 SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE THE FOLLOWING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "FR SERIES", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE 20 VAC 60 Hz 2000 WATTS 300 WATTS / 2 OHM LOAD MIN WATTS 4 OHM LOAD MIN. PIN PIN PIN 2 PIN 2 SPEAKER PUTS LETHAL VOLTAGES MAY APPEAR AT PUT TERMINALS. CLASS WIRING IS REQUIRED PIN PIN 26

27 PUT APPLICATION SWIT The PUT APPLICATION switch should be configured before you turn on the amplifier. This switch allows you to choose between three different configurations: LIMITER ON (). This is the normal configuration: full-bandwidth audio with protective limiting. LIMITER is also full bandwidth audio, but without protective limiting. LOW (SUBWOOFER) mode, with built-in low-pass filter, but no protective limiting. LIMITER ON, LIMITER The LIMITER is not designed to alter your sound it s just there to protect your speakers from the effects of clipping. Its effect is virtually transparent, meaning you probably won t even notice any audible difference. We recommend that you leave it engaged, hence the label below the ON setting. If you re working at quiet levels all the time, or you ve already placed a compressor/limiter in the signal path, or if you just hate compression, you can leave the LIMITER off. The LIMITER works independently on each channel. It senses when the amplifier channel is about to be overdriven and attenuates the overall level just enough to keep the signal from clipping. Clipping occurs when the output voltage no longer linearly follows the input voltage and simply stops. This causes a sine wave to square off, and the average power going into the speaker is roughly double that of a sine wave. Square waves sound awful, and could possibly damage your tweeters and your reputation. The LIMITER is especially handy when you re working with loud output levels. Having the signal spikes (kick drum, for instance) attenuated a bit can actually increase the apparent loudness of the overall mix without diminishing the power behind the spikes. Be Forewarned: With the LIMITER engaged, you can still overdrive the amplifier into clipping and cause distortion. It just takes a stronger signal to do it. So even with the LIMITER turned on, you should still pay close attention to the front panel OL LEDs, especially if you are hearing distortion or your speakers start smoking (which is bad for their health). ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz STEREO D 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () IN SWITED PUT LOW HIGH ON LIMITER ( & 2) HIGH LOW SWITED PUT IN 27

28 LOW (SUBWOOFER) Here s a special surprise: If you bought the M 2600 amplifier to power a subwoofer system, you just saved yourself the cost of a crossover! The M 2600 amp has an active crossover built in. The amplifier can play the frequencies below the crossover point set with the CROSS- OVER switch. 5dB 0dB 5dB 0dB 5dB 20Hz 00Hz khz 0kHz 20kHz Crossover settings. Here s how to configure it:. Turn the M 2600 s POWER off. 2. Set the PUT APPLICATION switch to LOW (SUBWOOFER). 3. Select a crossover point, via the CROSS- OVER switch : At 20Hz, you ll get the low sub-harmonics on up to the audible bass range. At 90Hz, you ll get the standard subwoofer range. At 60Hz you ll get the lowest frequencies, more to be felt than heard. You ll probably want to try this switch each way. 4. Make sure the is set to or nearly. If it is turned up above the crossover frequency, the output from the amplifier will be greatly diminished. 5. Set the AMP MODE to either STEREO,, or D, depending on your application. These three modes operate as usual with LOW (SUBWOOFER) activated, except the speakers just get the lower frequencies. 6. Connect your cords and speaker cables as required (see the examples on pages 3-6). 7. Turn the M 2600 s POWER on. Woof! If you want to use a second M 2600 or an M 400i to reproduce the rest of the audio range, follow this procedure:. Connect the jacks on the first subwoofer amplifier to the jacks on the second amplifier. 2. Set the switch on the first subwoofer amplifier to the HIGH position. 3. With POWER off, set the PUT APPLICA- TION switch on the second amplifier to FULL RANGE (LIMITER either ON or ). The first amplifier will play the frequency range below the crossover point, and the second amplifier will play the frequency range above it. See the diagrams and further information on pages 36. As a general rule, use your biggest amplifier to power the subs. ANNEL ANNEL 2 AMP MODE 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz STEREO D 60Hz 90Hz 20Hz 's SUMMED PUT APPLICATION FULL RANGE LOW () IN SWITED PUT LOW HIGH ON LIMITER ( & 2) HIGH LOW SWITED PUT IN 28

29 GENERAL PRES AND CONSIDERATIONS RACK MOUNTING The M 2600 amp requires three rack space units (3 U = 5.2"). It also requires 6.7" depth inside the rack, including the rear supports. When designing your rack, put the heavier items at the bottom and the lighter items toward the top. Secure the front panel of the amplifier to the front of the rack using eight screws with soft washers to prevent scratching the panel. In addition, because of the weight of the amplifier, you must secure the rear support brackets of the amplifier to the back of the rack. You could use a support rail or shelf across the back of the rack, or angle brackets attached between the rear support brackets and the rear rails of the rack. This is recommended for all components mounted in a rack that is going to be moved frequently (or thrown in the back of a pickup truck and transported down a bumpy gravel road to that outdoor festival!). THERMAL CONSIDERATIONS The M 2600 amp is fan-cooled and brings air in through the front and out through the sides. Make sure that cool air is available at the front of the amplifier, and that there is room on each side for the warm air to exit from the amplifier and dissipate. If rack-mounted, make sure there is room for the warm air to circulate around the side and out through the rear of the rack. In a typical rack, there will be a space of to 2 inches on either side of the amplifier. This is adequate to allow the warm air to exit from the amplifier. In the unlikely event of the amplifier overheating, you might consider leaving 2 rack spaces between amplifiers, or using extra cooling fans in the rack. The M 2600 s unique T-Design constant gradient cooling tunnel provides substantially better cooling for the output transistors than conventional designs that simply blow air through the chassis, getting dust, cat hair, and other contaminants over all the internal components. The cooling tunnel provides a shorter, more direct path so the cool air concentrates on the heat produced by the output devices. This results in increased reliability and longevity for the amplifier. AC POWER CONSIDERATIONS Be sure the M 2600 is plugged into an outlet that is able to supply the correct voltage specified for your model. If the voltage should drop below 97% of the line voltage, the M 2600 will no longer be able to supply rated power. (It will continue to operate down to 63% of the rated voltage, but won t reach full power.) Under typical conditions, reproducing music where musical peaks are just below clipping, the M 2600 draws the following average currents: Amplifier Loading Average current 2Ω per side or 4Ω bridged 8A 4Ω per side or 8Ω bridged 2A 8Ω per side or 6Ω bridged 7A (Above current based on use of amplifier on 20V AC line) When heavily loaded, the M 2600 can pull a considerable amount of current from the AC power line. Because of the high current demand, the power cord of the USA model is terminated into a 20A plug (NEMA 5-20P). A similar 20A rated receptacle is required to power the amplifier (NEMA 5-20R). The following table shows how many amplifiers can be plugged into the same 20 or 30 amp service. This is for typical conditions, reproducing rock music where musical peaks are just below clipping. Amplifier Loading Max. # amps Max. # amps (of 240 V model) on 20A service on 30A service 2Ω per side or 4Ω bridged * 4Ω per side or 8Ω bridged 2 8Ω per side or 6Ω bridged 2 3 (*May cause nuisance tripping of breakers under very high output / heavy loading conditions. This table refers to 20V AC line. Other models are equipped with a power cord and plug appropriate for the local voltage). NEVER bypass the plug s ground pin. This is dangerous! G NEMA 5-20P (Plug supplied with 20 VAC models) G NEMA 5-20R (20 VAC, 20Amp Receptacle) 29

30 It is recommended that a stiff supply of AC power be used because the amplifier places high current demands on the AC line. The more power that is available on the line, the louder the amplifier will play and the more peak output power will be available for cleaner, punchier bass. A suspected problem of poor bass performance is often caused by a weak AC supply to the amplifier. The M 2600 has an in-rush limiting circuit and relay that will prevent popping the house circuit breakers during turn-on. You should still avoid turning on all of your amplifiers at the same time. Rather, turn them on one at a time. AC Power Distribution The majority of AC outlets encountered in homes and clubs (in the U.S.) are served by a 240VAC center-tapped service entrance transformer. This provides two phases of AC power on either side of the center tap, at 20V each. In order to minimize ground loops, the safety grounds for all the outlets should be connected to a common ( star ) grounding point, and the distance between the outlets and the common grounding point should be as short as possible. If lighting is used in a show, it is preferable to power the lights from one leg of the service, and power the audio equipment from the other leg. This will help minimize noise from the lights coupling into the audio (particularly if SCRs are used). When setting up for a show, oftentimes you are plugging into an AC power distribution system you know nothing about. You may even be faced with 2-wire outlets that are missing the third safety ground pin. It s a good idea to have a three-wire AC outlet tester in your toolbox so you can check the outlets yourself to make sure they are wired correctly. These testers will tell you if the polarity of the hot and neutral wires is reversed and if the safety ground is disconnected. Don t use an outlet if it is wired improperly! This is to protect yourself as well as your equipment. HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINE PRIMARY WINDING 20V 20V 240V SECONDARY WINDING WIRING Use a high-quality 3-conductor shielded cable to connect the signal between the signal source (mixing console, equalizer, etc.) and the balanced inputs to the amplifier. If you re using the unbalanced inputs, use a high-quality 2-conductor shielded cable. Your Mackie Dealer can recommend a suitable cable for your application. If you want to roll your own, refer to the Connectors section in Appendix C. PUT WIRING Use heavy gauge, stranded wire for connecting speakers to the M 2600 amplifier s SPEAKER PUT terminals. As the distance between the amplifier and the speakers increases, the thickness of the wire should also increase. Speaker wire has resistance, and when electricity passes through a resistor, power is lost. The thicker the wire, the less resistance it offers and the more power actually gets to the speakers. The wire thickness is rated in gauges. Use the chart below to determine the correct gauge of wire to use according to the distance between the speakers and the amplifier, and the impedance of the load the amplifier is driving. This ensures that the power lost across the speaker wire is less than 0.5 db. Load Gauge of Wire Length Impedance Wire Up to 25 ft. 2Ω 4 gauge 4Ω 4 gauge 8Ω 4 gauge Up to 40 ft. 2Ω 2 gauge 4Ω 2 gauge 8Ω 4 gauge Up to 60 ft. 2Ω 0 gauge 4Ω 2 gauge 8Ω 4 gauge Up to 00 ft. 2Ω 8 gauge 4Ω 0 gauge 8Ω 4 gauge Up to 50 ft. 2Ω 6 gauge 4Ω 8 gauge 8Ω 2 gauge Up to 250 ft. 2Ω 4 gauge 4Ω 6 gauge 8Ω 0 gauge TRANSFMER 240V Center-Tapped Secondary EARTH GROUND (NEUTRAL) 30

31 70V DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS A distributed sound system uses a constantvoltage, high-impedance network that feeds a number of tapped transformers which, in turn, deliver power to individual speakers. Each tap is rated in watts, so you can select the amount of power delivered to the speaker. Developed for distributed paging and public address systems, one benefit of such a system is that it eliminates complicated impedance calculations when setting up a multi-speaker system. You just add up the total wattages of all the speakers in the system and make sure that it doesn t exceed the total power rating of the amplifier (allowing at least 0% for insertion losses). Another benefit is that by using high voltage and low current, losses in the speaker distribution wiring are kept to a minimum. Standard voltage levels include 25V, 70V, and 00V, but 70V systems (actually 70.7V) are most commonly used in commercial sound distribution systems in the U.S. Because of the high power capability of the M 2600 amplifier, it can be used to directly drive 70V constant-voltage distribution systems without the use of a step-up transformer. In STEREO, into a nominal 70V system, the M 2600 output can produce a maximum of 500 watts into 8 ohms (equal to 63V). Since this is less than 70.7V, you can recalculate the actual power delivered to each tap by multiplying the tap s rated wattage by a correction factor (K). The correction factor is P/P2, where P is the power delivered by the amplifier into 8 ohms, and P2 is the power delivered by 70.7V into 8 ohms (625W). M 2600: K = 500W/625W = 0.8. Thus, a 2.5W tap becomes 2W, a 5W tap becomes 4W and a 0 W tap becomes 8W. : A characteristic of many tapped transformers is that they saturate at very low frequencies, which causes their impedance to decrease, approaching the DC resistance of the copper wire. This can result in overloading the amplifier if the signal contains lots of low frequencies. When using an M 2600 amplifier in a 70V distribution system, set the to 00Hz or higher. In addition, install an RC network at the SPEAKER PUT of the amplifier, as shown in the figure below. We recommend that you do not use the M 2600 in D mode with a 70V system, as it can produce up to 700 watts into 8 ohms, or 6V. This may saturate the small 70V transformers. Use the STEREO or mode instead, and you can run one or two separate 70V lines. M 2600 POWER AMPLIFIER IN STEREO MODE RC NETWK C C2 R 70V LINE RC NETWK VALUES C = C2 = 250VDC R = 50W ALTERNATE RC NETWK Note: You can substitute a single capacitor for C/C2. C3 C3 = 250VDC, NON-POLARIZED. R 70V Constant Voltage Distribution System 2.5W 5W 0W 2.5W 5W 0W 2.5W 5W 0W CONSTANT VOLTAGE TRANSFMER POWER TAP SWIT 3

32 APPENDIX A: Service Info WARRANTY SERVICE Details concerning Warranty Service are spelled out on page 5 of this manual. If you think your amplifier has a problem, please do everything you can to confirm it before calling for service, including reading through the following Troubleshooting section. Doing so might save you from being deprived of your Mackie amplifier. Of all Mackie products returned for service (which is hardly any at all), many are coded CND Could Not Duplicate, which usually means the problem lay somewhere else in the system. These may sound obvious to you, but here are some things you can check: TROUBLESHOOTING No power! Our favorite question: Is it plugged in? Make sure the AC outlet is live (check with a tester or lamp). Our next favorite question: Is the POWER switch on? If not, try turning it on. Is the green light next to the power switch illuminated? If not, make sure the AC outlet is live. If so, refer to No sound below. The AC line fuse inside the chassis is blown. This is not a user-serviceable part. Refer to Repair on the next page to find out how to proceed. No sound! Are the GAIN controls turned all the way down? Slowly turn them up and see if you hear anything. Is the signal source turned up? Make sure the signal level from the mixing console (or whatever device immediately precedes the amplifier) is high enough to produce sound in the amplifier. The SIG LEDs should be blinking to indicate that signal is present. If the speakers are wired for D mode, make sure the AMP MODE switch is set to D. If the PUT APPLICATION switch is set to LOW (SUBWOOFER), make sure the frequency control is set to or nearly. If it is turned up above the subwoofer cutoff frequency, the output from the amplifier will be diminished. Is the SHT LED lit? Turn the POWER off, check the speaker connections and make sure that there are no strands of wire shorting across the speaker terminals. Is the HOT LED lit? Make sure there is cool air available at the front of the amplifier. Make sure there is room at the sides of the amplifier for warm air to exit. Allow the amplifier to cool off. Are there fuses in the speaker or in-line fuses in the speaker wire? Check em to see if they re blown. Make sure the speakers are working properly. One side is way louder than the other! Do the M 2600 s meters read the same on both sides? If not, your source may be delivering an out-of-balance stereo signal. Are both GAIN knobs set to the same position? Are the speaker(s) impedances matched? (See Appendix E Do The Math: Ohms, Loads, and Such. ) Try swapping sides: Turn off the amp, swap the speaker cables at the amp, turn the amp back on. If the same side is still louder, the problem is with your speakers or speaker cabling. If the other side is louder now, the problem is with the mixer, the amp, or the line-level cabling. The stereo music sounds kind of sideways, and the bass frequencies diminish when standing center, but get louder as you approach one side! Check the polarity of the speaker cable connections. You may have your positive and negative connections reversed at one end of one speaker cable. 32

33 As soon as the music gets loud, the amp shuts down! Check the M 2600 s meters. Be sure that OL is not lighting up frequently or continuously. Can the amp breathe? The M 2600 amps draw their ventilation air in from the front and out through the side panels. They need plenty of fresh air to stay cool. Do not block the ventilation ports. Is the SHT LED lit? If so, you ve got a dead short somewhere in your speaker setup, or the total impedance of the load is too low. Turn the amp off and rectify that right away. No mid or high frequencies! Make sure the PUT APPLICATION switch is not set to LOW (SUBWOOFER). It hurts when I touch my arm, or my leg, or even my head! You have a broken finger. Bad sound! Is it loud and distorted? Turn down the signal coming from the mixer or signal source. Is the input connector plugged completely into the jack? Check the speaker connections and verify that all connections are tight and that there are no stray strands of wire shorting across the speaker terminals. If possible, listen to the signal source with headphones plugged into the console. If it sounds bad there, the problem s not in the amplifier. Keep practicing. Noise/Hum Check the signal cable between the mixer and the amplifier. Make sure all connections are good and sound. Make sure the signal cable is not routed near AC cables, power transformers, or other EMI-inducing device. Is there a light dimmer or other SCR-based device on the same AC circuit as the monitor? Use an AC line filter or plug the amplifier into a different AC circuit. If possible, listen to the signal source with headphones plugged into the console. If it sounds noisy there, the problem s not in the amplifier. Refer to Grounding in Appendix D. REPAIR Service for the M 2600 amplifier is available only from one of our authorized domestic service stations or at the factory, located in sunny Woodinville, Washington. Service for Mackie amplifiers living outside the United States can be obtained through local dealers or distributors. If your amplifier needs service, follow these instructions:. Review the preceding troubleshooting suggestions. Please. 2. Call Tech Support at , 8am to 5pm PST, to explain the problem and request an RA (Return Authorization) number. Have your amplifier s serial number ready. You must have an RA number before you can obtain service at the factory or an authorized service center. 3. Keep this owner s manual. We don t need it to repair the amplifier. 4. Pack the amplifier in its original package, including endcaps and box. This is very important. When you call for the RA number, please let Tech Support know if you need new packaging. Mackie is not responsible for any damage that occurs due to non-factory packaging. 5. Include a legible note stating your name, shipping address (no P.O. boxes), daytime phone number, RA number, and a detailed description of the problem, including how we can duplicate it. 6. Write the RA number in BIG PRINT on top of the box. 7. Ship the amplifier to us. We recommend United Parcel Service (UPS). We suggest insurance for all forms of cartage. Ship to this address: Mackie Designs SERVICE DEPARTMENT 6220 Wood-Red Rd. NE Woodinville, WA We ll try to fix the amplifier within three business days. Ask Tech Support for the latest turn-around times when you call for your RA number. We normally send everything back prepaid using UPS BLUE (Second Day Air). However, if you rush your amplifier to us by Next Day Air, we ll treat it in kind by shipping it back to you UPS RED (Next Day Air). This paragraph does not necessarily apply to non-warranty service. 33

34 APPENDIX B: Glossary This Glossary contains brief definitions of many of the audio and electronic terms used in discussions of sound mixing and recording. Many of the terms have other meanings or nuances or very rigorous technical definitions which we have sidestepped here because we figure you already have a lot on your mind. If you d like to get more information, you can call Mix Bookshelf at We recommend the following titles: The Audio Dictionary, by Glenn White; Tech Terms, by Peterson & Oppenheimer; Handbook for Sound Engineers, by Glen Ballou; Mackie Mixer Book by Rudy Trubitt; and Sound Reinforcement Handbook, by Gary Davis. balanced In a classic balanced audio circuit, the two legs of the circuit ( and ) are isolated from the circuit ground by exactly the same impedance. Additionally, each leg may carry the signal at exactly the same level but with opposite polarity with respect to ground. In some balanced circuits, only one leg actually carries the signal, but both legs exhibit the same impedance characteristics with respect to ground. Balanced input circuits can offer excellent rejection of common-mode noise induced into the line and also make proper (no ground loops) system grounding easier. Usually terminated with 4" TRS or XLR connectors. bandwidth The band of frequencies that pass through a device with a loss of less than 3 db, expressed in Hertz or in musical octaves. Also see Q. bus An electrical connection common to three or more circuits. In mixer design, a bus usually carries signals from a number of inputs to a mixing amplifier, just like a city bus carries people from a number of neighborhoods to their job. channel A functional path in an audio circuit: an input channel, an output channel, a recording channel, the left channel, and so on. clipping A cause of severe audio distortion that is the result of excessive gain requiring the peaks of the audio signal to rise above the capabilities of the amplifier circuit. Seen on an oscilloscope, the audio peaks appear clipped off. To avoid distortion, reduce the system gain in or before the gain stage in which the clipping occurs. See also headroom. console A term for a sound mixer, usually a large desk-like mixer. crest factor The ratio of the peak value to the RMS value. Musical signals can have peaks many times higher than the RMS value. The larger the transient peaks, the larger the crest factor. db See decibel. dba Sound Pressure Level (SPL) measured with an A weighting filter. dbm A unit of measurement of audio signal level in an electrical circuit, expressed in decibels referenced to milliwatt. The m in dbm stands for milliwatt. In a circuit with an impedance of 600 ohms, this reference (0 dbm) corresponds to a signal voltage of VRMS (because V across 600 ohms equals mw). dbu A unit of measurement of audio signal level in an electrical circuit, expressed in decibels referenced to VRMS into any impedance. Commonly used to describe signal levels within a modern audio system. dbv A unit of measurement equal to the dbu but no longer in use. It was too easy to confuse a dbv with a dbv, to which it is not equivalent. dbv A unit of measurement of audio signal level in an electrical circuit, expressed in decibels 34

35 referenced to VRMS across any impedance. Commonly used to describe signal levels in consumer equipment. To convert dbv to dbu, add 2.2 db. decibel (db) The db is a ratio of quantities measured in similar terms using a logarithmic scale. Many audio system parameters measure over such a large range of values that the db is used to simplify the numbers. A ratio of 000V:V=60 db. When one of the terms in the ratio is an agreed-upon standard value such as 0.775V, V, or mw, the ratio becomes an absolute value, i.e., 4 dbu, 0 dbv, or 0 dbm. detent A point of slight physical resistance (a clickstop) in the travel of the gain controls, used to help get both controls to identical levels by counting the number of detents turned. diffraction The bending of sound waves around an obstacle (Huygens Principle). The longer the wavelength in comparison to the obstacle, the more the wave will diffract around it. dipping The opposite of peaking, of course. A dip is an EQ curve that looks like a valley, or a dip. Dipping with an equalizer reduces a band of frequencies. See guacamole. dry Usually means without reverberation, or without some other applied effect like delay or chorusing. Dry is not wet, i.e., totally unaffected. duty cycle The ratio of pulse width to total cycle time. dynamic In sound work, dynamic refers to the class of microphones that generates electrical signals by the movement of a coil in a magnetic field. Dynamic microphones are rugged, relatively inexpensive, capable of very good performance and do not require external power. dynamic range The range between the maximum and minimum sound levels that a sound system can handle. It is usually expressed in decibels as the difference between the level at peak clipping and the level of the noise floor. EMI Electro Magnetic Interference. This refers to current induced into the signal path as a result of an external magnetic field. In audio systems, this is usually manifested as a 60Hz or 20Hz hum or buzz. The source of this noise can be from a ground loop or from the signal wire coming too close to a strong magnetic field such as a transformer or high-current linecord. EQ curve A graph of the response of an equalizer, with frequency on the x (horizontal) axis and amplitude (level) on the y (vertical) axis. Equalizer types and effects are often named after the shape of the graphed response curve, such as peak, dip, shelf, notch, knee, and so on. equalization Equalization (EQ) refers to purposefully changing the frequency response of a circuit, sometimes to correct for previous unequal response (hence the term, equalization), and more often to add or subtract level at certain frequencies for sound enhancement, to remove extraneous sounds, or to create completely new and different sounds. Bass and treble controls on your stereo are EQ; so are the units called parametrics and graphics and notch filters. A lot of how we refer to equalization has to do with what a graph of the frequency response would look like. A flat response (no EQ) is a straight line, a peak looks like a hill, a dip is a valley, a notch is a really skinny valley, and a shelf looks like a plateau (or a shelf). The slope is the grade of the hill on the graph. Graphic equalizers have enough frequency slider controls to form a graph of the EQ right on the front panel. Parametric EQs let you vary several EQ parameters at once. A filter is simply a form of equalizer that allows certain frequencies through unmolested while reducing or eliminating other frequencies. Aside from the level controls, EQs are probably the second most powerful controls on any mixer (no, the power switch doesn t count!). fader Another name for an audio level control. Today, the term refers to a straight-line slide control rather than a rotary control. filter A simple equalizer designed to remove certain ranges of frequencies. A low-cut filter (also called a high-pass filter) reduces or 35

36 eliminates frequencies below its cutoff frequency. There are also high-cut (low-pass) filters, bandpass filters (which cut both higher and lower frequencies but leave a band of frequencies in the middle untouched), and notch filters (which remove a narrow band but leave the high and low frequencies alone). frequency The number of times an event repeats itself in a given period. Sound waves and the electrical signals that represent sound waves in an audio circuit have repetitive patterns that range from a frequency of about 20 repetitions per second to about 20,000 repetitions per second. Sound is the vibration or combination of vibrations in this range of 20 to 20,000 repetitions per second, which gives us the sensation of pitch, harmonics, tone, and overtones. Frequency is measured in units called Hertz (Hz). One Hertz is one repetition or cycle per second. gain The measure of how much a circuit amplifies a signal. Gain may be stated as a ratio of input to output values, such as a voltage gain of 4, or a power gain of.5, or it can be expressed in decibels, such as a line amplifier with a gain of 0 db. gain stage An amplification point in a signal path, within either a system or a single device. Overall system gain is distributed between the various gain stages. graphic EQ A graphic equalizer uses slide pots for its boost/cut controls, with its frequencies evenly spaced through the audio spectrum. In a perfect world, a line drawn through the centers of the control shafts would form a graph of the frequency response curve. The positions of the slide pots give a graphic representation of boost or cut levels across the frequency spectrum. ground Also called earth. Ground is defined as the point of zero voltage in a circuit or system, the reference point from which all other voltages are measured. In electrical systems, ground connections are used for safety purposes, to keep equipment chassis and controls at zero voltage and to provide a safe path for errant currents. This is called a safety ground. 36 Maintaining a good safety ground is always essential to prevent electrical shock. Follow manufacturer s suggestions and good electrical practices to ensure a safely grounded system. Never remove or disable the grounding pin on the power cord. In computer and audio equipment, tiny currents and voltages can cause noise in the circuits and hamper operation. In addition to providing safety, ground provisions in these situations serve to minimize the pickup, detection and distribution of these tiny noise signals. This type of ground is often called technical ground. Quality audio equipment is designed to maintain a good technical ground and also operate safely with a good safety ground. If you have noise in your system due to technical grounding problems, check your manual for wiring tips or call technical support. Never disable the safety ground to reduce noise problems. ground loop A ground loop occurs when the technical ground within an audio system is connected to the safety ground at more than one place. Two or more connections will allow tiny currents to flow in the loops created, possibly inducing noise (hum) in the audio system. If you have noise in your system due to ground loops, check your manual for wiring tips or call technical support. Never disable the safety ground to reduce noise problems. headroom The difference between nominal operating level and peak clipping in an audio system. For example, a mixer operating with a nominal line level of 4 dbu and a maximum output level of 22 dbu has 8 db of headroom. Plenty of room for surprise peaks. Hertz The unit of measure for frequency of oscillation, equal to cycle per second. Abbreviated Hz. khz (pronounced kay-hertz ) is an abbreviation for kilohertz, or 000 Hertz. Hz See Hertz. impedance The AC resistance/capacitance/inductance in an electrical circuit, measured in ohms. In audio circuits (and other AC circuits) the impedance in ohms can often be very different than the circuit resistance as measured by a DC ohmmeter.

37 Maintaining proper circuit impedance relationships is important to avoid distortion and minimize added noise. Mackie input and output impedances are designed to work well with the vast majority of audio equipment. knee A knee is a sharp bend in an EQ response curve, not unlike the sharp bend in your leg. Also used in describing dynamics processors. level Another word for signal voltage, power, strength, or volume. Audio signals are sometimes classified according to their level. Commonly used levels are: microphone level (40 dbu or lower), instrument level (20 to 0 dbu), and line level (0 to 30 dbu). line level A signal whose level falls between 0 dbu and 30 dbu. master A control affecting the final output of a mixer. A mixer may have several master controls, which may be slide faders or rotary controls. mixer An electronic device used to combine various audio signals into a common output. Different from a blender, which combines various fruits into a common libation. monaural Literally, pertaining to or having the use of only one ear. In sound work, monaural has to do with a signal that, for purposes of communicating audio information, has been confined to a single channel. One microphone is a mono pickup; many microphones mixed to one channel is a mono mix; a mono signal played through two speakers is still mono, since it only carries one channel of information. Several monaural sources, however, can be panned into a stereo (or at least two-channel, if you are going to be picky) mix. Monaural sound reinforcement is common for environments where stereo sound reinforcement would provide an uneven reproduction to the listener. monitor In sound reinforcement, monitor speakers (or monitor headphones or in-the-ear monitors) are those speakers used by the performers to hear themselves. Monitor speakers are also called foldback speakers. In recording, the monitor speakers are those used by the production staff to listen to the recording as it progresses. In zoology, the monitor lizard is the lizard that observes the production staff as the recording progresses. Keep the lizard out of the mixer. noise Whatever you don t want to hear. Could be hum, buzz, or hiss; could be crosstalk or digital hash or your neighbor s stereo; could be white noise or pink noise or brown noise; or it could be your mother-in-law reliving the day she had her gallstone removed. noise floor The residual level of noise in any system. In a well-designed product, the noise floor will be a very quiet hiss, which is the thermal noise generated by bouncing electrons in the transistor junctions. The lower the noise floor and the higher the headroom, the more usable dynamic range a system has. parametric EQ A fully parametric EQ is an extremely powerful equalizer that allows smooth, continuous control of each of the three primary EQ parameters (frequency, gain, and bandwidth) in each section independently. Semi parametric EQs allow control of fewer parameters, usually frequency and gain (i.e., they have a fixed bandwidth, but variable center frequency and gain). peaking The opposite of dipping, of course. A peak is an EQ curve that looks like a hill, or a peak. Peaking with an equalizer amplifies a band of frequencies. phone jack Ever see those old telephone switchboards with hundreds of jacks and patch cords and plugs? Those are phone jacks and plugs, now widely used with musical instruments and audio equipment. A phone jack is the female connector, and we use them in 4" two-conductor (TS) and three-conductor (TRS) versions. phone plug The male counterpart to the phone jack. See above. 37

38 Q A way of stating the bandwidth of a filter or equalizer section. An EQ with a Q of.75 is broad and smooth, while a Q of 0 gives a narrow, pointed response curve. To calculate the value of Q, you must know the center frequency of the EQ section and the frequencies at which the upper and lower skirts fall 3 db below the level of the center frequency. Q equals the center frequency divided by the difference between the upper and lower 3 db frequencies. A peaking EQ centered at 0kHz whose 3 db points are 7.5kHz and 2.5kHz has a Q of 2. RFI Radio Frequency Interference. High frequency radiation that often results from sparking circuits. This can be manifested in a number of ways in audio systems, but is usually evident as a high-frequency buzz or hash sound. RMS An acronym for root mean square, a conventional way to measure AC voltage and audio signal voltage. Most AC voltmeters are calibrated to read RMS volts. Other conventions include average volts, peak volts, and peak-topeak volts. shelving A term used to describe the shape of an equalizer s frequency response. A shelving equalizer s response begins to rise (or fall) at some frequency and continues to fall (or rise) until it reaches the shelf frequency, at which point the response curve flattens out and remains flat to the limits of audibility. If you were to graph the response, it would look like a shelf. At least, more like a shelf than a hiking boot. The EQ controls on your stereo are usually shelving equalizers. See also peaking, dipping, bobbing, weaving, ducking and diving. stereo Believe it or not, stereo comes from a Greek word that means solid. We use stereo or stereophonic to describe the illusion of a continuous, spacious soundfield that is seemingly spread around the listener by two or more related audio signals. In practice, stereo often is taken to simply mean two channels. sweep EQ An equalizer that allows you to sweep or continuously vary the affected frequency of one or more sections. TRS Acronym for Tip-Ring-Sleeve, a scheme for connecting three conductors through a single plug or jack. /4" phone plugs and jacks and /8" mini phone plugs and jacks are commonly wired TRS or TS. Since the plug or jack can carry two signals and a common ground, TRS connectors are often referred to as stereo or balanced plugs or jacks. Another common TRS application is for insert jacks, used for inserting an external processor into the signal path. In Mackie mixers, the tip is send, ring is return, and sleeve is ground, in accordance with AES standards. TS Acronym for Tip-Sleeve, a scheme for connecting two conductors through a single plug or jack. 4" phone plugs and jacks and 8" mini phone plugs and jacks are commonly wired TRS or TS. Sometimes called mono or unbalanced plugs or jacks. A 4" TS phone plug or jack is also called a standard phone plug or jack. unbalanced An electrical circuit in which the two legs of the circuit are not balanced with respect to ground. Usually, one leg will be held at ground potential. Unbalanced circuit connections require only two conductors (signal hot and ground). Unbalanced audio circuitry is less expensive to build but under certain circumstances is more susceptible to picking up noise. unity gain A circuit or system that has its voltage gain adjusted to be one, or unity. A signal will leave a unity gain circuit at the same level at which it entered. In Mackie mixers, unity gain is achieved by setting all variable controls to the marked U setting. Mackie mixers are optimized for best headroom and noise figures at unity gain. volume Electrical or sound level in an audio system. Perhaps the only thing that some bands have too much of. XLR connector A three-pin connector used in audio for transmitting a balanced signal. Sometimes referred to as a Cannon connector, named for the manufacturer who first popularized the threepin connector. 38

39 APPENDIX C: Connectors XLR CONNECTS Mackie amplifiers use 3-pin female XLR connectors on each input, with pin wired to the grounded (earthed) shield, pin 2 wired to the high ( hot or positive polarity) side of the audio signal, and pin 3 wired to the low Figure A: XLR Connectors SHIELD HOT COLD SHIELD COLD 3 HOT ( cold or negative polarity) side of the signal (Figure A). All totally above-board and in full accord with the hallowed standards dictated by the AES (Audio Engineering Society). Use a male XLR -type connector, usually found on the nether end of what is called a mic cable, to connect to a female XLR jack SHIELD COLD HOT (output from mixer), ring to signal return (input back into mixer), and sleeve to ground (earth). Balanced mono circuits. When wired as a balanced connector, a 4" TRS jack or plug is connected tip to signal high (hot), ring to signal low (cold), and sleeve to ground (earth). This is the application used for the inputs to Mackie amplifiers. 4" TS PHONE PLUGS AND JACKS TS stands for Tip-Sleeve, the two connections available on a mono 4" phone jack or plug (Figure C). TS jacks and plugs are used in many different applications, always unbalanced. The tip is connected to the audio signal and the sleeve to ground (earth). Some examples: Unbalanced microphones Electric guitars and electronic instruments Unbalanced line-level or speaker-level connections TIP SLEEVE SLEEVE TIP 4" TRS PHONE PLUGS AND JACKS TRS stands for Tip-Ring-Sleeve, the three connections available on a stereo 4" or balanced phone jack or plug (Figure B). TRS jacks and plugs are used in several different applications: RING Figure B: 4" TRS Plugs TIP SLEEVE SLEEVE RING SLEEVE (SHIELD) Stereo Headphones, stereo microphones and stereo line connections. When wired for stereo, a 4" TRS jack or plug is connected tip to left, ring to right and sleeve to ground (earth). Unbalanced Send/Return circuits. When wired as a send/return Y connector, a 4" TRS jack or plug is connected tip to signal send TIP RING (COLD) TIP (HOT) Figure C: TS Plug TIP (HOT) UNBALANCING A LINE In most studio, stage, and sound reinforcement situations, there is a combination of balanced and unbalanced inputs and outputs on the various pieces of equipment. This usually will not be a problem in making connections. When connecting a balanced output to an unbalanced input, be sure the signal high (hot) connections are wired to each other, and that the balanced signal low (cold) goes to the ground (earth) connection at the unbalanced input. In most cases, the balanced ground will also be connected to the ground at the unbalanced input. If there are ground-loop problems, this connection may be left disconnected at the balanced end. SLEEVE (SHIELD) 39

40 When connecting an unbalanced output to a balanced input, be sure that the signal high (hot) connections are wired to each other. The unbalanced ground (earth) connection should be wired to the low and the ground connections of the balanced input. If there are ground-loop problems, try connecting the unbalanced ground connection only to the input low connection, and leaving the input ground connection disconnected. In some cases, you will have to make up special adapters to interconnect your equipment. For example, you may need a balanced XLR female connected to an unbalanced 4" TS phone plug. The balanced-to-unbalanced connection has been anticipated in the wiring of Mackie jacks. A 4" TS plug inserted into a 4" TRS balanced input, for example, automatically unbalances the input and makes all the right connections. Conversely, a 4" TRS plug inserted into a 4" unbalanced input automatically ties the ring (low or cold) to ground (earth). BINDING POSTS The binding posts provide a safe and secure connection for speaker wire. Prepare your wire by stripping back about half an inch of insulation to reveal clean, shiny wire. Carefully twist the wire so that any fine wire strands are together. SPEAKONS Speakon connectors have become popular with many loudspeaker manufacturers because they provide a quick, yet safe and secure method of connecting speaker cables. The connectors have a twist-locking mechanism that prevents them from being pulled out accidentally. Plus, they are capable of handling high currents and meet IEC 65 and IEC 348 safety requirements. Pin is speaker positive() and Pin is the speaker negative (). The amplifier is fitted with three Speakon connectors, one for the left, one for the right and one for the bridged mono operation. The bridged mono connector must not be used with any other connection, no speaker wire attached to the binding posts, and no other Speakons used. Internally, the bridged mono Speakon is wired directly to the binding posts. Pin is connected to the Channel positive and Pin is connected to Channel 2 positive. If you find that your speaker (in bridged mono) sounds strange, check that the AMP MODE switch is correctly set to D. Otherwise, your speaker will be playing the difference between Channel and Channel 2, like an earlier method of home theater center fill. Make sure the amplifier is turned off before connecting the speaker wire, as there may be high AC voltages present at the outputs Untighten the posts and insert the bare wire as shown below. Check there are no strands of wire sticking out which may touch the other terminal. Tighten the posts by hand, do not use a wrench! 2 2 COLD HOT Figure E: Speakon Connectors Figure D: Binding Posts with Bare Wire 40

41 APPENDIX D: Arcane Mysteries Illuminated Balanced Lines Balanced lines offer increased immunity to external noise (specifically, hum and buzz). Because a balanced system is able to minimize noise, it is the preferred interconnect method, especially in cases where very long lengths of cable are being used. A long unbalanced cable carries with it more opportunity for noise to get into a system having balanced inputs means very little noise will enter the system via snakes and other cables that typically must run a long length. A balanced line is a threewire system where two wires carry the signal and the third is a ground wire that shields the inner conductors from EMI. The two inner conductors carry the same signal, but with opposite polarity. The balanced input amplifies only the difference between the two conductors. But a signal that is common to both conductors, and in phase, is rejected (canceled out) at the balanced input. This includes hum from AC lines or other EMI induced noise. An unbalanced line does not have this noise-rejecting capability because it has only two conductors. One conductor carries the signal and the other is a ground wire that shields the inner conductor. Any hum or EMI noise that gets through the shield is added to the signal and amplified at the unbalanced input. Often the hum can be louder than the signal itself! Do s and Don ts of Fixed Installations If you install sound systems into fixed installations, there are a number of things that you can do to make your life easier and increase the likelihood of the sound system operating in a predictable manner. Even if you don t do fixed installations, these are good practices for any sound system.. Do use foil-shielded snake cable for long cable runs. Carefully terminate each end, minimizing the amount of shielding removed. Protect the exposed foil shield with shrink sleeving or PVC sleeving. Prevent adjacent shields from contacting each other (electrically). Use insulating sleeving on the drain wire (the one that connects to pin ) to prevent it from contacting the connector shell. 2. Don t connect the XLR connector shell to pin of the XLR connector unless necessary for RFI shielding. Doing so is an invitation for a ground loop to come a-courting. 3. Do ensure that your speaker lines and AC power lines are physically separated from your microphone lines. 4. If you use floor pockets, use separate pockets for inputs and speakers, or put the connectors on opposite sides of the box so that they may be shielded separately. 5. If your speaker lines run in the open, they should be twisted pairs, at least 6 twists per foot. Otherwise, run the speaker lines in their own conduit. (Of course, conduit is not too practical for portable systems, heh-heh.) 6. Minimize the distance between the power amplifiers and the speakers. 7. Use heavy gauge, stranded wire for speaker lines. Ideally, the wire resistance should be less than 6% (0.5 db power loss) of the load impedance. Remember that the actual run is twice as long as the physical length of the run. See below. Maximum wire run for 0.5dB power loss in feet wire res. per gauge 000 ft. Ω Ω Ω Ensure that the electrician uses the starground system for the safety grounds in your electrical system. All of the audio system grounds should terminate at the same physical point. No other grounds may come in contact with this ground system. 9. Ensure that the AC power feeds are connected to the same transformer, and ideally, the same circuit breaker. 0. Walk outside look at the horizon. See any radio towers? Locate potential sources 4

42 of RF interference and plan for them before you begin construction. Know the frequency, transmitter power, etc. You can get this information by calling the station. Remember that many broadcast stations change the antenna coverage pattern and transmitter power at night.. Don t use hardware-store light dimmers. 2. Don t allow for anything other than microphone inputs at stage/altar locations. Supplying line inputs at these locations is an invitation for misuse. Make all sources look like microphones to the console. 3. Balance (or at least impedance balance) all connections that are remote from the console s immediate location. Grounding Grounding exists in your audio system for two reasons: product safety and noise reduction. The third wire on the power cord exists for product safety. It provides a low-resistance path back to the electrical service to protect the users of the product from electrical shock. Hopefully, the resistance to ground through the safety ground (third wire) is lower than that through the user/operator to ground. If you remove this connection (by breaking or cutting the pin off, or by using a ground cheater ), this alternate ground path ceases to exist, which is a safety hazard. The metal chassis of the product, the ground connections provided by the various connectors, and the shields within your connecting cables provide a low-potential point for noise signals. The goal is to provide a lower impedance path to ground for noise signals than through the signal wiring. Doing so helps minimize hum, buzz, and other extraneous non-audio signals. Many authorities tell you that shields should be connected only at one end. Sometimes this can be true, but for most (99%) audio systems, it is unnecessary. If you do everything else correctly, you should be able to connect every component of your audio system using standard, off-the-shelf connecting cables that are available at any music store. Here are some guidelines:. Use balanced lines if at all possible. They provide better immunity to induced noise and ground loops. Remember that you can balance a line by inserting in-line a piece of equipment that has a balanced output Avoid using three-phase power lines since they are usually used for air conditioning and other heavy power equipment. If using 240VAC single phase with center-ground power, connect all audio equipment to one side of the AC power, and all lighting and other equipment to the other side. 3. Be sure all AC outlet safety grounds are connected to one common point in a star ground arrangement. This common ground point should then tie back to earth ground at the service entrance by one heavy stranded wire, #2 gauge or larger. 4. Don t cut the third pin off the power cord. Carry some ground-lifter adapters and use them only if you have to plug into an ancient two-wire outlet. 5. Cables that are too long are less likely to pick up hum if you uncoil them in their entirety, and then find a place to stow the excess. Leaving the excess coiled only helps the cable pick up hum more efficiently. 6. If you bundle your cables together, don t bundle AC wiring and audio wiring together. Bundle them separately. 7. If your sound system insists on humming, you may want to teach it the words. Optimizing Sound System Levels In a full-blown (not fully blown) sound system, the signal level can be controlled or adjusted at many different points throughout the signal chain. The best system performance is achieved when the dynamic range of the system is maximized, thus reducing noise and allowing a nominal signal level to be used with maximum headroom. Whatzat!? Dynamic range is the difference between the noise floor and the maximum undistorted signal level capability of the component. The greater the dynamic range, the better the signal to noise ratio, because the nominal signal level can be set at a higher amplitude and the noise tends to get buried underneath the signal. Headroom is the difference between the maximum undistorted signal level capability of the component and the nominal signal level. It is important to maintain a reasonable amount of headroom so that the dynamic transient peaks of the musical program can be reproduced without clipping. 0 db of headroom is usually adequate, but some program material may require up to 20 db.

43 The best way to accomplish this goal is to optimize the input and output levels for each component in the system. It is best to start at the beginning of the chain (the microphone) and work your way to the end (the speakers). The following procedure details how to optimize a sound system with 0 db of headroom. A microphone is connected to the mic input on the mixing console. The gain of the mic preamp circuit, sometimes called Mic Trim, should be adjusted so that the loudest microphone signal is just below the overload point of the preamp. Most mixing consoles provide a mic preamp clipping indicator or level metering of some kind to optimize the mic preamp. Next comes the output level of the channel, controlled by a fader or rotary gain control. Faders usually have an indication in the graphics that shows the normal or nominal setting for the fader. This setting is usually 0 or 2 db below the maximum output level of the channel. This provides the headroom needed to reproduce the transient peaks associated with music. If the channel has a meter, you can use that to visually confirm that the nominal output level of the channel is around 0 on the meter. Next set the master output level (fader) control on the mixer to the nominal level indication next to the control. Again, this should be at least 0 db below the maximum output level of the mixer. You can double-check the actual output signal level if there is an output meter on the mixer. On most professional equipment, this nominal output level will be 4 dbm (.23V rms into 600 ohms). The output of the mixer may drive a power amplifier directly, or it may go through a signal processor first (i.e., equalizer, compressor limiter, crossover). Determine the maximum output capability of the signal processor. Hopefully, it can produce at least 4 db to maintain the required 0 db of headroom. Chances are it can produce considerably more than that (like 20 db to 24 db). If 0 db of headroom is not available, you ll have to introduce a resistive pad between the mixer and the signal processor to reduce the signal level from the mixer so it is at least 0 db below the maximum output of the processor. 40dBu 30dBu 20dBu 0dBu 0dBu 0dBu 20dBu 30dBu 40dBu 50dBu 60dBu 70dBu 80dBu HEADROOM SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO DYNAMIC RANGE DYNAMIC RANGE MAXIMUM PUT LEVEL (M 2600 = 850W/4Ω) NOMINAL LEVEL (25W/4Ω) 0 dbu = 0.775V NOISE FLO If the processor has enough headroom, set the level controls to unity gain, so with a 4 db input it produces a 4 db output. Keep in mind that if this is an equalizer, and you ve boosted several frequency bands, the nominal output level may be more than 4 db because of the extra energy the processor is adding to those frequencies. It may be necessary, in that case, to reduce the level controls a few db below unity. The M 2600 amp is designed to accept a nominal 4 db input signal. Set the GAIN controls fully clockwise. This will provide the best signal-to-noise ratio and available headroom for the amplifier. 9 7 GAIN/dB 3v SENSITIVITY v v.23v (4dBu) 43

44 Biamplified and Triamplified Systems Most speaker systems in use today are of the two-way or three-way variety. Cone speakers are good at reproducing low and mid-range frequencies, but not high frequencies. Likewise, compression drivers are good at reproducing high frequencies, but definitely not low frequencies. This is why two-way, three-way and even four-way speaker systems were developed to improve the efficiency of each individual driver by requiring it to reproduce only the frequencies that it reproduces best. One method of accomplishing this is through the use of a passive crossover network between the amplifier and the speaker(s). Often the passive crossover is built into the cabinet along with the various drivers. The crossover divides the high-level speaker signal into frequency bands, which are then directed to the appropriate driver. There are some drawbacks to this method, however. The passive crossover adds reactance to the load that the amplifier sees, which can affect the damping. Power is wasted as heat across the resistors in the crossover, reducing the amount of amplifier power available to the drivers themselves. Biamplified and triamplified systems use separate power amplifiers to power each individual low-frequency and high-frequency driver. An electronic crossover (a.k.a. active crossover) is located between the signal source and the power amplifier. The advantages of this method include: Increased headroom available from each amplifier, since they re amplifying only a portion of the entire audio spectrum. Improved damping factor because the amplifier output is connected directly to the driver. Improved efficiency because there are no passive resistors to dissipate heat; and Flexibility to choose the optimum cross over frequency and crossover slope for the individual drivers in the system. The M 2600 s internal crossovers are electronic (active) and allow biamplification above and below a user-selectable crossover point of 60Hz, 90Hz, or 20Hz. See the application diagrams on pages 3-6. TWO-WAY SPEAKER CABINET FROM SIGNAL SOURCE (MACKIE MIXING CONSOLE) FROM SIGNAL SOURCE (MACKIE MIXING CONSOLE) IN 2 IN FR SERIES POWER AMPLIFIER (STEREO MODE) 2 HIGH-LEVEL PASSIVE HIGH FREQUENCIES TO TWEETER LOW FREQUENCIES TO WOOFER TWO-WAY SPEAKER CABINET HIGH-LEVEL PASSIVE HIGH FREQUENCIES TO TWEETER Passive Crossover System LOW FREQUENCIES TO WOOFER FROM SIGNAL SOURCE (MACKIE MIXING CONSOLE) FR SERIES POWER AMPLIFIER (STEREO MODE) LOW-LEVEL 3-WAY ACTIVE TO HIGH-FREQUENCY AMPLIFIER TO MID-FREQUENCY AMPLIFIER 2 2 TWEET MID FROM SIGNAL SOURCE (MACKIE MIXING CONSOLE) LOW-LEVEL 2-WAY ACTIVE TO HIGH-FREQUENCY AMPLIFIER TO LOW-FREQUENCY AMPLIFIER 2 FR SERIES POWER AMPLIFIER (STEREO MODE) 2 TWEET WOOF TO LOW-FREQUENCY AMPLIFIER FR SERIES POWER AMPLIFIER ( MODE) 2 WOOF Biamplified System with External Active Crossover Triamplified System with External Active Crossover 44

45 APPENDIX E: Technical Info DO THE MATH: OHMS, LOADS, AND SU Remember: As the load gets heavier, its value in ohms goes down. For instance, a 2-ohm speaker load is twice as heavy as a 4-ohm load. An ohm is a unit of resistance the more ohms, the more resistance (impedance). The more the resistance, the less the power. It can all seem backwards at first. Just remember that a dead short means no resistance at all, or zero ohms. Since you re in the biz (or you are now, since you just bought an amp), you probably own a volt/ohm meter (or DVM, for Digital Volt Meter). It s an indispensable tool for anyone working with speakers and such. If you don t own a meter, go out and get one right now we ll wait. If you re just dealing with one speaker (or cabinet) per output, the load in ohms will be printed on it somewhere. That s your load. You can confirm this with the volt/ohm meter you just bought set it for ohms, set it for the lowest range (unless it s an autoranging meter) and measure across the speaker terminals. It may not agree exactly; a speaker rated at eight ohms may read between 5 and 7 ohms. (If it s a multiple-driver speaker with a built-in passive crossover, this method won t work.) If you re driving an assortment of speakers (or cabinets), things can get complicated. There are two basic ways of linking multiple loads (speakers in this case): series and parallel. Series means that the positive amp output connects to the first speaker s positive terminal, the first speaker s negative terminal connects to the second speaker s positive terminal, the second speaker s negative terminal goes to the third, and so on, until the chain ends at the amp s negative output. Series connections are not normally used in PA applications because it ruins the amplifier s ability to damp (control) the speakers. Doing load calculations with series configurations is easy just add the loads. For instance, four 8-ohm speakers, connected in series, will equal 32 ohms ( = 32). Parallel means that the positive amp output connects to the positive terminals of all the speakers, and the negative amp output connects to the negative terminals of all the speakers. If one speaker fails in a parallel configuration, the others will still work, but the load will change. That lets you breathe a little easier (the show will go on), except that you may have a dead speaker and not even know it. Calculating parallel loads is also easy, as long as each speaker has the same value just divide the value by the number of speakers. For instance, four 8-ohm speakers, connected in parallel, will equal 2 ohms (8 / 4 = 2). If the loads aren t all the same, the formula gets a little more complicated, but nothing that you can t do with a simple calculator. Z T = Z Z 2 Z... 3 There are other, more complicated configurations, like series-parallel (using a combination of series and parallel links to arrive at a desired load) and parallel configurations of unmatched loads (usually not recommended). But rather than get too deep into this, let s just summarize the basics, as they apply to you and your M 2600 power amplifier: As a load gets heavier, its impedance in ohms decreases. The lower the impedance (ohms), the higher the power: The M 2600 has 300 watts (per side) with a 2-ohm load, 850 watts with 4 ohms, and 500 watts with 8 ohms. Do not connect a load of under 2 ohms (in STEREO and mode) or 4 ohms (in D mode). Never plug amplifier outputs into anything except speakers (unless you have an outboard box designed to accept speaker levels). Never play good music through bad speakers. You may, however, play bad music through good speakers (but only on odd-numbered Fridays). 45

46 SPECIFICATIONS M 2600 Maximum Power at % THD, midband: 500 watts per channel into 8Ω 850watts per channel into 4Ω 300 watts per channel into 2Ω 700 watts into 8Ω bridged 2600 watts into 4Ω bridged Continuous Sine Wave Average Output Power, both channels driven: 425 watts per channel into 8Ω from 20Hz to 20kHz, with no more than 0.025% THD 700 watts per channel into 4Ω from 20Hz to 20kHz, with no more than 0.05% THD 000 watts per channel into 2Ω from 20Hz to 20kHz, with no more than 0.% THD Bridged mono operation:,400 watts into 8Ω from 20Hz to 20kHz, with no more than 0.05% THD 2000 watts into 4Ω from 20Hz to 20kHz, with no more than 0.% THD Note: Power ratings are specified at 20VAC line voltages. The M 2600 power amplifier draws large amounts of current from the AC line with continuous sine wave testing. Accurate measurement of power requires a steady and stable AC supply. This means the line impedance must be very low to insure that the peak AC line voltage does not sag to less than 97% of its value. If driving highly reactive loads, we recommend that the limiter circuit be engaged. Power Bandwidth: 20Hz to 70kHz (0, 3 700W into 4Ω Frequency Response: 20Hz to 40kHz (0, db) 0Hz to 70kHz (0, 3 db) Distortion: THD, SMPTE IMD, TIM < 8Ω < 4Ω < 2Ω Signal-to-Noise Ratio: > 07 db below rated power into 4Ω Channel Separation: > 80 khz Damping Factor: > 400Hz Input Impedance: 24kΩ balanced Input Sensitivity:.23 volts (4 dbu) for rated power into 4 ohms Gain: 32.7 db (43V/V) Maximum Input Level: 9.75 volts (22 dbu) Rise Time: < 5µs Slew Rate: Voltage Slew Rate > 60V/µs Current Slew Rate> 30A/µs at 2Ω CMRR: > 40 db, 20Hz to 20kHz Load Angle: 8(±jx) time independent at 8Ω 4(±jx) time dependent, T > 6 min. at 4Ω 2(±jx) time dependent, T > 2 min. at 2Ω Transient Recovery: < µs for 20 db khz High Frequency Overload and Latching: No latch up at any frequency or level. High Frequency Stability: Unconditionally stable, driving any reactive or capacitive load. Turn On Delay: 3-5 seconds Variable Low-Cut Filter: 0Hz (Off) to 70Hz, 2nd-Order Bessel Internal Crossover: Switched: 60Hz/90Hz/20Hz, 4th-Order Linkwitz-Riley Lowpass outputs switchable to internal Subwoofer mode. Lowpass and Highpass outputs switchable to Thru output jacks. Limiter Section: Complementary Positive and Negative Peak Detecting Indicators: 6 meter LEDs per channel SIG (Signal Present), 20, 9, 6, 3, OL (Overload) & 2 PROTECT LEDs SHT LEDs TEMP STATUS COLD/HOT LEDs Physical: (lets get) (three rack spaces high, standard rack width) Height 5.20 inches (32mm) Front panel Width 9.00 inches (483mm) Chassis Width 7.24 inches (438mm) Depth 5.65 inches (398mm) Overall Depth 6.67 inches (423mm) Handle Depth.64 inches (42mm) Weight 55 pounds (25 kg) 46

47 POWER Power Consumption Country AC input Line Range Power Consumption requirements (/8 of 2Ω resistive power/ nominal) North America 20 V, 60 Hz 76 V - 32 V 650 W, 8.2 A 240 V, 60 Hz 52 V V 650 W, 9. A Europe 240 V, 50/60 Hz 52 V V 650 W, 9. A Korea 240 V, 60 Hz 52 V V 650 W, 9. A Japan * 00 V, 50/60 Hz 63 V - 0 V 000 W, 3.8 A (4Ω) 200 V, 50/60 Hz 26 V V 650 W, 0.9 A * The 00 V version of the Japanese model is not rated into 2Ω. It is only rated at 4Ω stereo or 8Ω bridged. AC Drop-out Voltage: Disclaimer: At approximately 63% of rated line voltage Since we are always striving to make our products better by incorporating new and improved materials, components, and manufacturing methods, we reserve the right to change these specifications at any time without notice. Mackie, The Running Man, and FR Series are trademarks or registered trademarks of Mackie Designs Inc. All other brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders, and are hereby acknowledged. 998 Mackie Designs Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. 7.24" (438mm) ventilation slots (do not cover) M 2600 WEIGHT 55 lbs. (25 kg) Depth 5.65" (398mm) Overall Depth 6.67" (423mm).64" (42mm) NOTE: The Depth is measured from the rear face of the rack ears FULL SYMMETRY DUAL DIFFERENTIAL HIGH CURRENT DESIGN PROFESSIONAL POWER AMPLIFIER GAIN/dB GAIN/dB 2 2 ON 5.2" (32mm) 3U 9.00" (483mm) 47

48 BLOCK DIAGRAM LINE (/4" TRS) LINE (XLR-FEMALE) PUT (XLR-MALE) LINE (/4" TRS) LINE (XLR-FEMALE) PUT (XLR-MALE) MACKIE DESIGNS M 2600 BLOCK DIAGRAM 9/2/998 FREQ LOW CUT FILTER FREQ LOW CUT FILTER FUSE SIG Hz LOW HIGH LOWHIGH 2 SIG Hz LOW HIGH LOWHIGH POWER SWIT IN-RUSH LIMIT LAMP TRANSFMER THERMAL LIMIT-LOW STEREO--D Σ (THE ANNELS ARE SUMMED IN D MODE) LIMIT-LOW STEREO--D LIMITER CONTROL 2 STEREO--D LIMIT-LOW IN-RUSH CONTROL TOIDAL POWER TRANSFMER. 00 VDC.2 00 VDC 22 VAC 30 VDC 5 VDC -5 VDC 5VDC 00VDC. GAIN 5VDC LIMITER 5VDC INVERTER (F D OPERATION) 00VDC 5VDC 22VAC 5VDC.2 GAIN 00VDC 5VDC LIMITER SHT SHT 2 (THE SHT LEDS ARE JOINED IN D MODE) 5VDC 00VDC 5VDC. 5 VDC.2 5 VDC 22VAC TRANSFMER THERMAL SWIT TEMP SENS 2 TEMP SENS. DISSIPATION.2 DISSIPATION 30VDC -30VDC FUSE SIG METER DRIVE OL SIG ANNEL POWER AMPLIFIER MUTE FUSE PROTECTION CIRCUITRY MUTE DC SET PROTECT SHT PROTECT SHT PUT CURRENT PUT VOLTAGE TRANSIENT SOA FLT STEADY STATE SOA FLT PUT DISSIPATION SHT. DISSIPATION LOW VOLTAGE DETECT IN-RUSH CONTROL FUSE 2 SIG METER DRIVE OL SIG ANNEL 2 POWER AMPLIFIER MUTE FUSE PROTECTION CIRCUITRY MUTE DC SET PROTECT SHT PROTECT SHT PUT CURRENT PUT VOLTAGE TRANSIENT SOA FLT STEADY STATE SOA FLT PUT DISSIPATION SHT 2.2 DISSIPATION LOW VOLTAGE DETECT IN-RUSH CONTROL HOT LED OVER TEMPERATURE DETECT COLD LED VARIABLE SPEED FAN CONTROLLER 45 0 C 65 0 C SPEED CONTROL C 65 0 C SPEED CONTROL.2 FAN IDLE/VARIABLE. POWER DETECT FAN IDLE/VARIABLE.2 POWER DETECT PUT RELAY PUT RELAY. MUTE.2 MUTE FAN C MUTE 52 0 C UN-MUTE 80 0 C MUTE 52 0 C UN-MUTE. SPEAKER. SPEAKON D SPEAKON. 2 SPEAKON. 2 SPEAKER 48

49 PERFMANCE GRAPHS ANNEL THD AND NOISE vs FREQUENCY (Channel 2 has the same performance, but it is omitted for clarity). PERCENTAGE (%) THD & NOISE vs FREQ. (BOTH ANNELS DRIVEN) 000W INTO 2Ω 700W INTO 4Ω 425W INTO 8Ω k FREQUENCY (Hz) 0k 20k D THD AND NOISE vs FREQUENCY THD & NOISE vs FREQ. D MODE PERCENTAGE (%) W INTO 4Ω 400W INTO 8Ω k FREQUENCY (Hz) 0k 20k ANNEL THD AND NOISE vs PUT POWER (Channel 2 has the same performance). PERCENTAGE (%) THD & NOISE vs PUT POWER INTO 8Ω, BOTH ANNELS 20Hz PUT POWER (W) k 49

50 PERFMANCE GRAPHS PERCENTAGE (%) THD & NOISE vs PUT POWER INTO 4Ω, D 20Hz D THD AND NOISE vs PUT POWER PUT POWER (W) k 3k k ANNEL DAMPING FACT vs FREQUENCY DAMPING FACT DAMPING FACT (into 8Ω) vs FREQUENCY (Channel 2 has the same performance) k FREQUENCY (Hz) 0k 20k db (relative to 425 W) CROSSTALK INTO. vs FREQUENCY,.2 DRIVEN AT 425 W (into 8Ω) k FREQUENCY (Hz) 0k 20k CROSSTALK INTO ANNEL vs FREQUENCY (Channel 2 has the same performance). 50

51 M 2600 LIMITED WARRANTY Please keep your sales receipt in a safe place. A. Mackie warrants all materials, workmanship and proper operation of this FR Series product for a period of three years from the original date of purchase. If you complete the optional questionnaire portion of the Product Registration Card, the warranty will be extended for an additional two years. If any defects are found in the materials or workmanship or if the product fails to function properly during the applicable warranty period, Mackie, at its option, will repair or replace the product. This warranty applies only to equipment sold and delivered within the U.S. by Mackie or its authorized dealers. B. Failure to return the card will not void the 3-year warranty. C. Service and repairs of Mackie products are to be performed only at the factory (see D below) at an Authorized Mackie Service Center (see E below). Unauthorized service, repairs, or modification will void this warranty. D. To obtain factory service:. Call Mackie at 800/ , 8AM to 5PM Monday through Friday (Pacific Time) to get a Return Authorization (RA). Products returned without an RA number will be refused. 2. Pack the FR Series product in its original shipping carton. If you do not have the carton, just ask for one when you get your RA number, and we ll send a shipping carton out promptly. More information on packing can be found in the Service section of the appropriate manual. Also include a note explaining exactly how to duplicate the problem, a copy of the sales receipt with price and date showing, and your return street address (no P.O. boxes or route numbers, please!). If we cannot duplicate the problem at the Mackie Factory or establish the starting date of your Limited Warranty, we may, at our option, charge for service time. 3. Ship the product in its original shipping carton, freight prepaid to: Mackie Designs Inc. SERVICE DEPARTMENT 6220 Wood-Red Road NE Woodinville, WA, 98072, USA IMPTANT: Make sure that the RA number is plainly written on the shipping carton. E. To obtain service from an Authorized Mackie Service Center:. Call Mackie at 800/ , 8AM to 5PM Monday through Friday (Pacific Time) to get ) The name and address of your nearest Mackie Authorized Service Center and 2) A return authorization (RA). You must have an RA number before taking your unit to a service center. 2. Make sure that you have a copy of your FR Series sales receipt from the store where you bought the product. It is necessary to establish purchase date and thus determine whether or not your FR Series product is still under warranty. If you can't find it, the Authorized Service Center may charge you for repairs even if your FR Series product is still covered by Mackie's 3-Year Limited Warranty. 3. Make sure that the problem can be duplicated. If you bring your FR Series product to an Authorized Service Center and they can't find anything wrong with it, you may be charged a service fee. 4. If the Mackie Authorized Service Center is located in another city, pack the FR Series product in its original shipping carton. More information on packing can be found in the Service section of the appropriate manual. 5. Contact the Mackie Authorized Service Center to arrange service or bring the FR Series product to them. F. Mackie and Mackie Authorized Service Centers reserve the right to inspect any products that may be the subject of any warranty claims before repair or replacement is carried out. Mackie and Mackie Authorized Service Centers may, at their option, require proof of the original date of purchase in the form of a dated copy of the original dealer s invoice or sales receipt. Final determination of warranty coverage lies solely with Mackie Designs Inc. or its Authorized Service Centers. G. Mackie FR Series products returned to Mackie and deemed eligible for repair or replacement under the terms of this warranty will be repaired or replaced within thirty days of receipt by Mackie at our rainforest factory complex. Products returned to Mackie that do not meet the terms of this Warranty will be repaired and returned C.O.D. with billing for labor, materials, return freight, and insurance. Products repaired under warranty at Mackie's factory will be returned freight prepaid by Mackie to any location within the boundaries of the USA. H. Mackie assumes no responsibility for the quality or timeliness of repairs performed by Mackie Authorized Service Centers. I. This warranty is extended to the original purchaser and to anyone who may subsequently purchase this product within the applicable warranty period. J. This is your sole warranty. Mackie does not authorize any third party, including any dealer or sales representative, to assume any liability on behalf of Mackie Designs or to make any warranty for Mackie Designs. K. THE WARRANTY GIVEN ON THIS PAGE IS THE SOLE WARRANTY GIVEN BY MACKIE AND IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS AND IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERANTABILITY AND FITNESS F A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE WARRANTY GIVEN ON THIS PAGE SHALL BE STRICTLY LIMITED IN DURATION TO THREE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF IGINAL PURASE FROM AN AUTHIZED MACKIE DEALER. UPON EXPIRATION OF THE APPLICABLE WARRANTY PERIOD, MACKIE SHALL HAVE NO FURTHER WARRANTY OBLIGA- TION OF ANY KIND. MACKIE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE F ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT MAY RESULT FROM ANY DEFECT IN THE MACKIE PRODUCT ANY WARRANTY CLAIM. Some states do not allow exclusion or limitation of incidental, special, or consequential damages or a limitation on how long warranties last, so some of the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty provides specific legal rights and you may have other rights which vary from state to state. 5

52 Some of the people at our Woodinville, Washington factory who helped design, build, sell, and support your product. Mackie Designs Inc Wood-Red Rd. NE Woodinville, WA USA 800/ Outside the US: 425/ Fax: 425/